Abuja: A three-day capacity-building workshop on safe migration has opened in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The programme is tagged ‘Safe Migration for All: Developing Capacity and Promoting Awareness for Regular Migration Pathways in Nigeria.’
According to Voice of Nigeria, the workshop, which started on Tuesday, is organised by the CSO Migration Network, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Nigerian-German Centre for Migration and Development, the German Development Cooperation, and the German Agency for International Cooperation, GIZ. The event has attracted participants from academia, CSOs, NGOs, government, the media, and other stakeholders.
Dr Emeka Obiezu, the Executive Director of CSOnetMADE, welcomed the participants, emphasizing the workshop’s aim to equip them with the necessary tools for awareness creation. He highlighted the importance of providing alternatives to travelers, asserting that while it is their right to migrate, it should be done safely. Dr Obiezu stated that the overall
objective is to enhance the knowledge and capacity of key stakeholders to promote regular migration pathways, reduce irregular migration, and improve reintegration outcomes for returnees.
Mrs Tolulope Olaya, representing the German Development Cooperation and GIZ Nigeria, noted that migration has always been part of human experience, shaping societies, economies, and cultures worldwide. She underscored the need for migration to benefit everyone involved, including the migrants, countries of origin, and host communities. Mrs Olaya remarked that migration is a dynamic, complex phenomenon driven by factors such as economic opportunities, environmental challenges, and insecurity.
She further explained that in Nigeria, as in many parts of the world, migration presents both challenges and opportunities, offering pathways to better livelihoods, empowerment, and prosperity. The shared vision at the workshop is to ensure that migration, especially from Nigeria, is safe, orderly, and regular. Her organisation has par
tnered with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to establish the Nigerian-German Centre for Migration in Lagos, Benin, and Abuja. The NGC serves as an advisory centre for individuals interested in migrating to Germany, Europe, or within the region for work or professional development.
The workshop focuses on capacity building and raising awareness of safe migration pathways, which is a vital step towards realizing their shared vision. A 2020 United Nations report highlighted that there are around 281 million international migrants worldwide, constituting 3.6 percent of the global population. The report indicated a steady increase in this figure over the past decades, with Asia and Europe hosting the highest number of international migrants. It also noted that the population of international migrants varies by region, with a higher concentration in countries with advanced economies.
The workshop is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.