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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The Controller, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mrs. Adeola Adesola Adesokan, recently disclosed that over 3.6 million Nigerians migrated to other countries between 2022 and 2023.
Young Nigerians have shifted their attention from England and the United States to Canada, with the Canadian government taking at least 400,000 new immigrants (regular pathways) yearly. Due to its aging population, Canada has become a migration hotbed for those who wish to seek greener pastures abroad.
To migrate to Canada through regular pathways, the applicant must have at least 15,000 Canadian dollars (about N16 million) in his savings account. The amount must not indicate emergency haulage (transfer) as well. Similarly, to migrate to Germany, an applicant must have 12,000 Euros (about N19 million) in his account, which must have accrued over time.
For these two favourite migrant destinations and others, the need for such a humongous amount is said to be for the good of the migrant. They need this money for basic survival in their first 12 months before securing jobs, depending on their qualifications and skills. Trade test is strongly recommended for prospective migrants, including artisans.
It is against this background that the Platform for Cooperation on Mixed Migration (PCMM), aimed at fostering cooperation, enhanced knowledge sharing and promoting innovative solutions that ensure the protection and well-being of all migrants, was launched in Abuja.
Executive secretary of PCMM, Chioma B. Awokoya, told Daily Sun that the stakeholders were looking at the mixed migration from six thematic areas, which are: return, readmission and reintegration; irregular migration/trafficking in persons; children on the move/internally displaced persons; labour migration; asylum seekers/refugees; and access to justice.
“For example, we want to see migrants being protected, especially those that are with us here in Nigeria. I know we hear that some of our citizens abroad are ill-treated. What happens to other nationales in our country?” she queried.
Speaking during the plenary discussions, programme manager on migration, Embassy of Canada in Nigeria, Ms. Liisa Coulombe, said that her country treats all migrants the same, irrespective of the countries they migrate from.
She said: “Canada is an immigrant country that has been receiving 400,000 new immigrants over a couple of years now because we are having an ageing growing population.
“It may not be as Japan, however, it is one of the countries that needs a young population. Canada may be a dream country for many, but, again, we are also constrained by the number we can accept and, unfortunately, there are conditions attached to it.
“Definitely, the cost of living has risen since the pandemic and that is why you must have at least 15,000 Canadian dollars in your account before you are permitted to come in. Once you are in our territory, you have human rights protection.
“Be rest assured that when you find yourself in Canada, there is equality. You will be treated the same way someone from Pakistan, Australia and migrants from other countries are treated.”
Ambassador of Belgium to Nigeria, Mr. Pieter Leenknegt, said, unlike Canada, Belgium does not have that volume of immigrants because it has about 95 percent employment rate.
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“We have had such migration in the ’60s and ’70s from neighbouring countries and we have organised a conference on labour migration and dynamics in skill as we look into the future, particularly in the demographic context.
“Like many other countries, labour is being faced with an ageing population and labour migration is one of the solutions, as long as it is done orderly. We are considering professionals with the required skills and labour exchange in the public and private sectors. Such migration should also be long and short-term projects through growing skills and partnership approaches.
“In recent times, the federal agency in charge of migration has been exploring opportunities in education, working together with other stakeholders like universities and the private sector. The fact that you may have studied in a Belgium university does not guarantee you a job in a country with just about 5 percent unemployment, which is historically low,” he said.
Labour migration desk officer, International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ms. Elizabeth Poage, argued that migration was not a problem, but a key driver to sustainable development that comes with benefits in terms of skills, strengthening the labour force, investment and cultural diversities among others.
“IOM constitution recognises beliefs that if migration is well managed, it has enormous benefits to the migrant, family, community, country of origin and destination. However, the countries need to put in place an effective structure for migration.
“There is also the need to provide information centres for intending migrants to be able to have the right information, which was why, in 2015, IOM supported Nigeria to develop migration policy for best practice. There are three migrant resource centres in Abuja, Lagos and Edo states to provide valuable information and training to help migrants to make informed decisions on migration,” she explained.
On the human rights side of migration, project staff, Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights, United Nations, Ms. Esther Michael, noted that though her organisation was not a migration organisation, however, it has been working hard on human rights programmes and policies, including migration.
She said: “What we are doing is to preach and advocate for the integration of human rights in the prevention of human trafficking and other challenges that come with migration. We have developed a lot of principles and guidelines on human rights and migration which guide government and other stakeholders, including the civil society on their work on migration.”
On her part, director, Migration Department, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Amb. Catherine Udida, who was represented by Dr. Nsikan Essien, warned that the complexity associated with irregular migration in this time and age calls for urgent attention and action.
“It is the responsibility of concerned agencies of government to ensure people migrate in dignity, protection of their human rights and welfare from the departure point to the destination point while their country of host picks it up from there,” she said.
On what the Nigeria government was doing on developing actionable recommendations to enhance pathways to regular migration in Nigeria since the country also has immigrants from other countries, the principal labour officer,
Employment and Wages Department,
Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment, Ms. Okolo Chizoba Jennifer, warned that prospective migrants to Nigeria may find it difficult to get jobs.
“We know that Canada and the EU are looking for migrants because they have older people while in Nigeria a lot of young people are looking for jobs. So, migrants coming to Nigeria will find it difficult to get jobs.
“We train people on how to apply for jobs in countries like Germany. We also expose them to opportunity cards so they don’t go there and become stranded. Unskilled workers must have certificates that show what they are skilled in. Graduates are strongly encouraged to get more certificates in addition to their course of study because sometimes what they want out there is not what you have,” she explained.
