As Nigeria prepares to host the second thematic meeting of the Rabat Process, it says data remains the key tool for evidence-based policymaking in migration issues.
The Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijjani Ahmed, made this remark while addressing global partners during a webinar.
He said the thematic meeting is apt and timely because migration across the Rabat Process region continues to evolve in scale, complexity, and impact.
He restated that when data is reliable, disaggregated, and accessible, it enables stakeholders to understand migration patterns, identify emerging trends, and respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities that mobility presents.
“ It ensures that migration contributes not only to economic growth and innovation but also to social inclusion, human rights protection, and sustainable development.
“The Objective 1 of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration emphasises the importance of ‘collecting and utilising accurate and disaggregated data as a basis for evidence-based policies.
“Likewise, Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls for strengthened national capacities to produce ‘high-quality, timely, and reliable data’ that reflects the diversity of our societies and populations.”
These recommendations, according to him, underscore the importance of strengthening administrative data sources, enhancing collaboration across institutions, and improving comparability across countries, noting that together, they represent a renewed international consensus that good migration policy begins with good migration data.
“This webinar offers a valuable opportunity to deepen that collaboration. By bringing together policymakers, technical experts, and data producers, we can collectively address the persistent gaps that hinder the effective use of data in migration policy.
“The discussions here will also help identify practical solutions to strengthen national and regional migration observatories, build technical expertise, and promote coherence across data systems. Importantly, this dialogue also reminds us of the need for a whole-of-route approach, as migration journeys transcend borders.”
The Federal Commissioner added that to better understand migration dynamics, data systems must connect countries of origin, transit, and destination, ensuring that collective responses are coordinated, informed, and humane.