By David Ibrahim, Favour Adeboye, Aanuoluwapo Afolabi
Since 2000, December 18th has been commemorated as the United Nations International Migrants Day (IMD), to honour and recognise migrants’ contributions to society.
As part of activities to commemorate this year’s IMD, iLead Africa and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR), held a training from 11th to 13th December, for 15 youth advocates for migrants’ rights, at the United Nations House in Abuja.
The training exposed the youth advocates to the concept of migration and equipped them with knowledge and tools to raise awareness of irregular migration, migrants’ rights, and their invaluable contributions to society.
Youth Advocates For Migrant Rights
The three-day training featured facilitators from iLEAD, OHCHR, the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
On the first day of the training, facilitators from the IOM and NHRC introduced participants to Nigeria’s migration dynamics, exploring the “push and pull” factors driving migration as well as the governance structures in place to foster regular migration pathways. The session also featured in-depth lessons on human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants as well as exploitative networks preying on migrants in West Africa.
Additionally, participants engaged in group discussions and case studies, analyzing scenarios that mirrored the hardships faced by migrants. A session on legal frameworks spotlighted institutions like NAPTIP and international protection organisations that safeguard migrant dignity and human rights.
Day two session explored the protection of displaced populations within mixed migration flows, with a facilitator from the UNHCR emphasizing Nigeria’s growing IDP crisis. Participants were also introduced to the power of digital platforms and responsible storytelling to amplify migration challenges without compromising the dignity of those affected. Ethical advocacy was stressed as participants dissected real-world cases, learning to balance impact with sensitivity.
On the final day, the youth advocates visited a shelter for survivors of human trafficking to gain real-life insights into the realities of human trafficking. The visit reinforced the urgency of sustained advocacy, with youth advocates pledging to spotlight the voices of migrants while holding systems accountable for failing to protect them.
Migration And Nigeria’s Economy
During the training, the selected participants gained insights into the economic contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora, to Nigeria’s economic growth. In 2021, Nigerian emigrants contributed more than 3.3% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but an increase is seen with its 6.1% contribution in 2022, remitting $21 billion. Last year, diaspora remittances to Nigeria stood at $20 billion.
While experts argue that the migration of Nigerians to other countries could hamper economic growth due to low tax generation, statistics show that migration is a significant source of foreign income for Nigeria whose foreign investment has been increasing year on year making it a major revenue-generating tunnel.
An African Diaspora Network report shows that remittances from Nigerians in the diaspora are the second largest source of foreign exchange for Nigeria after crude oil earnings. As of July 2024, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced a historic surge in Nigeria’s remittance inflows marking a 130% year-on-year increase.
The immense contribution of this underrepresented landscape to the Nigerian economy has spurred growth projections from World organizations like the World Bank. Experts envision migrants’ key position in diversifying the Nigerian economy, especially when the nation is looking to divert its long-standing attention to the oil and gas sector.
In addition to recognising and creating awareness of the contributions of migrants to the economy, youth advocates were also charged to use their voices and platforms to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions heldabout migrants and migration.
