Nigeria advances labour migration governance through adoption of key policy tools
With support from the ILO and GIZ, Nigeria’s Technical Working Committee on Labour Migration Governance held its final quarterly meeting of 2025 in Abuja (11–12 December) to validate and adopt key tools aimed at strengthening Migrant Resource Centres and supporting migrant workers.
2 February 2026
Abuja, Nigeria — In a strong show of collaboration and commitment to improving labour migration governance, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), in partnership with the ILO and GIZ, convened the last quarterly meeting of the Technical Working Committee (TWC) on Labour Migration Governance and Management in Abuja.
The two-day workshop brought together about 60 participants from across government institutions, employers’ and workers’ organizations, international development partners, and civil society. Their shared goal: to strengthen Nigeria’s labour migration systems and ensure that migration becomes a safe and empowering journey for all.
Held under the GIZ-funded Action for Improving Labour Migration Governance in Nigeria (ACTION) Project, the meeting validated and adopted key Labour Migration tools reviewed at the second quarterly meeting of 2025. The key tools: Operational Manual for Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Nigeria and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for MRCs in Nigeria will guide the operations of existing and future Migrant Resource Centres in Nigeria.
Having previously reviewed these key tools, the Committee adopted them with unanimous support, reaffirming their dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s labour migration governance structures. Dr. Fatai Mojeed Kolawole of the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) moved the motion for adoption of the Operational Manual for Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Nigeria, seconded by Mr. James Imoyera Eustace of the Nigerian Labour Congress. Similarly, Mrs. Ugwanyi Rosemary of the Federal Ministry of Health moved for the adoption of the Monitoring & Evaluation Framework for MRCs in Nigeria seconded by Mr. Jide Afolabi of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN).
Partners, including the Government, ILO, GIZ, IOM, ICMPD, NLC, NECA and EAPEAN, reaffirmed their commitment to advancing Nigeria’s labour migration agenda, emphasizing that safeguarding rights, promoting fair recruitment, and driving implementation of the National Policy on Labour Migration are critical to ensuring migration remains a pathway to opportunity rather than vulnerability.
In her goodwill message, Dr. Vanessa Phala, ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, stated that the adoption of these tools marks a critical step in strengthening labour migration governance in Nigeria, providing a practical, standardized framework for the effective establishment and management of Migrant Resource Centres nationwide. She underscored that the ILO remains passionately committed to supporting national authorities and partners to ensure their effective application and sustained impact.
Speaking on behalf of GIZ, Sandra Vermuijten-Alonge, Head of Programme at GIZ‑ZME, emphasized that GIZ prioritizes ensuring the effective use of these resources to strengthen service delivery at Migrant Resource Centres.
The tools are particularly timely, as stakeholders are adopting them at a critical moment—just before the establishment of two new MRCs in Kano and Enugu, which GIZ‑ZME is supporting under the ACTION Project.
Sandra Vermuijten-Alonge, Head of Programme at GIZ‑ZME
At the close of the meeting, stakeholders underscored that the practical application of these tools will directly enhance the quality, transparency, and inclusiveness of services at Migrant Resource Centres, improving outcomes for migrant workers.