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By Doris Obinna
Mental health support must be prioritized in the reintegration process of returning migrants, experts have said at a one-day forum held in Lagos. The event, organized by postdoctoral researcher Dr. Sarah Adeyinka, focused on findings from the Reintegrate Project, a research initiative examining reintegration governance across multiple countries including Nigeria.
Highlighting the deep psychological scars faced by returnees, Dr. Adeyinka emphasized that mental health remains one of the most overlooked aspects of reintegration. “We need a lot more mental health providers in Nigeria, and we need to eliminate the stigma. People shouldn’t be made to feel ashamed for seeking help.”
She described how returnees often grapple with trauma, discrimination, and alienation upon their return, calling for both government and civil society to work together in creating support systems that address their mental and emotional needs.
“Some of these individuals have faced traumatic experiences abroad, including trafficking and exploitation. Reintegration is not just economic, it is deeply psychological. The stigma of mental illness in Nigeria only worsens their situation,” Dr. Adeyinka said, referencing the derogatory terms often used to describe those seeking psychiatric help.
South West Coordinator, for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mr. Alex Oturu, backed the call for stronger mental health interventions. “Reintegration is a multi-stakeholder responsibility. Soft-landing for returnees includes mental health care. These individuals deserve dignity and support, not judgment.”
Oturu also noted that reintegration efforts must go beyond economic empowerment to include psychological rehabilitation and community education aimed at reducing stigma.
Director, Programmes at LEAP Africa and a leader at the Corporate Humanitarian Aid Foundation, Amabelle Nwakanma, warned that the trauma experienced by irregular migrants often goes untended. “Irregular migration comes with its horrors. When returnees come back, many are broken, emotionally and mentally. We must help them heal.”
She called for national sensitization campaigns that would not only warn against the dangers of irregular migration but also promote compassion toward those who have returned.
The Reintegrate Project, spearheaded by Dr. Adeyinka under the University of Amsterdam, investigates how reintegration is governed and experienced across four countries: Nigeria, Nepal, Serbia, and the Philippines. “In Nigeria, 96 interviews were conducted across Edo, Lagos, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory, regions with high returnee populations.”
According to the study, many returnees struggle with depression, post-traumatic stress, and feelings of isolation, worsened by inadequate access to mental health services. The study calls for integrated mental health components in reintegration programs supported by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and local stakeholders.
Dr. Adeyinka concluded that true reintegration cannot happen without mental health care. “Economic support is not enough. A reintegrated returnee is one who is healed, mentally, socially, and physically.”
