Nigeria Strengthens Labour Migration Systems Through Stakeholder Collaboration
With support from the ILO and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Corporation for International Cooperation), GIZ, Nigeria’s Technical Working Committee on Labour Migration Governance met in Abuja to refine tools that will improve migration services, protect migrant workers, and promote fair recruitment across the country.
11 November 2025
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 second quarterly meeting of the Technical Working Committee (TWC) on Labour Migration Governance and Management in Abuja.
The four-day workshop brought together 47 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 focused on reviewing and refining practical tools that will guide service delivery and policy implementation. These included:
- Manual for Establishment and Operationalisation of Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Nigeria
- Monitoring & Evaluation Framework for MRCs in Nigeria
- Factsheets on Work and Study Opportunities in 18 Countries
Participants actively engaged in technical reviews, breakout sessions, and peer exchanges. Many shared how the workshop deepened their understanding of migration governance and equipped them with practical strategies to improve services in their respective institutions.
Partners, including the ILO, GIZ, IOM, ICMPD, and Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (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.
Speaking on behalf The ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr. Vanessa Phala, Mr. Augustine Erameh, ILO Employment and Migration Officer, pledged the ILO’s continued technical support towards safe, orderly and regular migration. GIZ highlighted ongoing initiatives such as vocational training and labour mobility schemes with Germany. IOM emphasized the central role of Migrant Resource Centres and the value of operational manuals, M&E tools, and factsheets in strengthening service delivery. EAPEAN reiterated the crucial contribution of private employment agencies in ensuring fair recruitment and protecting migrant workers.
Participants called for stronger coordination by FMLE, better digital tools for monitoring, and regular updates to migration factsheets to protect migrants from misinformation and fraudulent job offers.
The meeting closed with a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to work together, uphold international labour standards, and ensure that Nigeria’s labour migration governance is inclusive, transparent, and effective.