African Migrant Resource Centres strengthen cooperation to better support migrant workers

ABUJA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) and partners have taken an important step towards strengthening protection and support for migrant workers across Africa through the development of a regional coordination framework to enhance cooperation, knowledge exchange and peer learning among Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs). The framework will support MRCs across the continent to share experience, strengthen referral systems, document and promote good practices and provide more consistent, gender-responsive and rights-based services to migrant workers throughout the migration cycle.

The framework was validated during a regional workshop held from 18 to 20 May 2026 in Abuja, Nigeria, convened by the ILO and the International Trade Union Confederation Africa (ITUC-Africa), through the Africa Trade Union Migration Network (ATUMNET). The workshop brought together participants, representing governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, civil society organizations, migrant worker associations and development partners from across Africa.

Across Africa, Migrant Resource Centres have emerged as important access points for migrant workers seeking reliable information, legal assistance, referral services, psychosocial support, pre-departure orientation and reintegration assistance. However, many centres operate under different institutional models, including government, trade union and civil society structures, with limited opportunities for structured coordination and exchange of experience.

With millions of African workers engaging in labour migration within and beyond the continent, participants highlighted the need to move beyond fragmented approaches towards stronger regional cooperation that can improve the quality, consistency and accessibility of services available to migrant workers and their families.

Migrant workers contribute significantly to families, communities and economies across Africa. But too many still face abuse, misinformation, unfair recruitment practices and limited access to support when things go wrong. By strengthening Migrant Resource Centres and connecting them more effectively, we can help ensure that migrant workers receive practical support, know their rights and are treated with dignity throughout the migration journey.

Dr Vanessa Phala, ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The workshop combined technical sessions with practical peer learning among government-led and trade union-operated MRCs. Key areas of discussion included international labour standards, fair recruitment, gender-responsive service design, access to justice, outreach strategies, monitoring and evaluation, reintegration support and effective pre-departure orientation.

Participants also explored ways to strengthen the capacity of MRCs to respond to the specific needs of women migrant workers, young migrants, domestic workers and returnees, who may face heightened risks of abuse, isolation, skills mismatch or limited access to remedies.

The voices and experiences of migrant workers were central to the discussions. Sophia Amimo, a former Kenyan domestic worker who worked in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, shared insights from her migration journey, highlighting gaps in emergency support, access to information before departure, reintegration services and recognition of skills acquired abroad. Her contribution reinforced the importance of designing services that are practical, accessible and responsive to migrants' lived realities.

Migrant Resource Centres are strategic platforms for providing guidance, protection, information and support services to migrant workers and their families. Fair and ethical labour migration systems contribute significantly to productivity, enterprise sustainability, industrial harmony and economic development

Olajide Afolabi, Executive Secretary of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria, on behalf of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association

A key outcome of the workshop was the validation of a regional coordination and peer learning strategy framework for Migrant Resource Centres in Africa. The framework will provide a foundation for future collaboration among MRCs, support the exchange of good practices and contribute to more coherent and effective services for migrant workers across the continent.

Participants also agreed on follow-up actions to strengthen collaboration among MRCs, document good practices, improve referral mechanisms and promote continued dialogue among governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, PrEAs, civil society and migrant worker associations.

By improving coordination among Migrant Resource Centres, the ILO and its partners aim to contribute to labour migration systems that protect workers’ rights, promote fair recruitment, respond to migrants’ needs and support safer, fairer and more inclusive labour migration across Africa.