The International Conference on Migration in Africa (ICMA) hosted by the Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa (SIHMA) and the Institute for Social Development at UWC, on 3 December 2014 brought together local, African and international scholars, academics, researchers, practitioners, professionals, policy makers and NGO representatives and funding bodies to discuss issues relating to human mobility in Africa. The topics included south-south migration, the nexus between migration and development, irregular migration and reintegration of returnee migrants.

1. Human mobility in NIGERGIA
Prepared by
Dr. Edmond Agyeman
Centre for African Studies
University of Education, Winneba
&
Dr. Mary Boatemaa Setrana
Centre for Migration Studies
University of Ghana, Accra

2. OUTLINE
Introduction
History of Nigerian Migration: Key Trends
Contemporary trends in Human Mobility
Overview of Nigeria’s Migration Policies and Legislation
Stakeholders in Migration Governance
Assessment of Migration Governance
Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION
Purpose of the Project
Methodology
 Study countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Angola and
South Africa)
 Desk Review (UNDP, World Bank, Academic
Journals etc)
 Key informant interviews

4. HISTORY OF Nigerian MIGRATION:
KEY TRENDS

5. HISTORY OF NIGERIAN MIGRATION:
KEY TRENDS
 Pre-independence migration
 The rise of the Sokoto Caliphate
 In northern Nigeria during 19th century and early periods of the 20th
century.
 Ignited patterns of forced (slave raids) and voluntary human movement
 The rise of the Oyo Empire in south-western Nigeria
 Generated several population movements among people of the Yoruba
ethnic group
 Leading to the establishment of new settlements and trade and
migratory routes extending as far as present day Liberia.

6. Pre-independence migration Cont’d
 The arrival of the Europeans during the 19th century,
 set the grounds for widespread and large scale migration within
and from Nigeria (to feed the colonial economy).
 rural-urban migration to new administrative centres and
educational hubs
 Movement to mining sites, farm plantations and construction
sites in Southern Nigeria
 Re-population of the middle belt at Jos
 Temporary stays of young Nigerians in UK and North America to
attain university education

7. HISTORY OF NIGERIAN MIGRATION:
KEY TRENDS
Post-independence migration
A: 1960s
 The labour migration patterns developed during the pre-independence
period were sustained in the post-independence era.
 There was large scale mobility to new administrative and educational
capitals like Lagos and Abuja
 The civil war displaced the Igbo people within and outside of Nigeria
during the 1960s and 1970s.

8. Post-independence Cont’d
 B: 1970s
 Transformation of Nigeria into a migrant destination country
o Attracting nationals from neighbouring West African states,
o Following the oil price hikes that boosted the Nigerian economy
o High demand for cheap labour for reconstruction works after
the civil war.
 C: 1980s
 Large scale repatriation of foreign nationals (mostly Ghanaians) in 1983
and 1985
 Beginning of large scale emigration of Nigeria's highly trained
professionals, including university professors, health professionals,
technicians and engineers
 Large scale emigration of rural folk to Southern Europe

9. POST-INDEPENDENCE MIGRATION CONT’D
 D: Current Situation
 Today, Nigerian migrants constitute the largest Sub-Saharan
African community in the UK, the USA, Japan and several other
OECD countries.
 Since the 2000s, the migration of Nigerian businessmen and
students to other African countries, particularly Ghana and South
Africa has increased intensely.
 Nigeria is a host to refugees and asylum seekers from other
African countries
 Serious issues human rights concerns about Nigerian
migration (trafficking, victimization, crimilization etc)

10. CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN HUMAN
MOBILITY: immigrants

11. IMMIGRATION: TOTAL NUMBER OF IMMIGRANTS
Total Number of immigrants by country of origin (2010 and 2013)
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Freguencies
Country of Origin
2010
2013
Source: UNDESA 2014
 The total number of
immigrants :
1,127,668.
 Constituting 0.7
percent of the
country’s total
population of about
173.6 million
 Majority of these
immigrants come
from ECOWAS
countries
representing 0.52
percent of the total
population of
Nigeria

12. Distribution of refugees between 2009 and 2013
9,127
IMMIGRATION: REFUGEES
TOTAL NUMBER OF REFUGEES
8,747 8,806
3,154
1,683
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Source: UNHCR 2014a
 Total Number of
Refugees : 1,696 in
2014
 Countries of
Origin: Cameroon,
Liberia, DRC

13. IMMIGRATION: ASYLUM SEEKERS
Distribution of Asylum Seekers between 2009 and 2013
18%
29%
13%
16%
24%
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
 Total Number of
Asylum Seekers : 815
 Countries of
Origin: Cameroon,
Liberia, DRC
Source: UNHCR 2014a

14. CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN HUMAN MOBILITY : emigrants

15. EMIGRATION: TOTAL NUMBER OF EMIGRANTS
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Cameroon
Gabon
Sudan
South Africa
Benin
Burkina Faso
Côte d'Ivoire
Ghana
Niger
Togo
Saudi Arabia
Finland
Ireland
Sweden
UK and
Greece
Italy
Spain
Germany
Netherlands
Switzerland
Canada
USA
Frequencies
Country of Destination
2010
2013
 Estimates of the total
number of emigrants
are based on
different data
sources are usually
referred to
 The country’s
emigrant population
ranges from 836,832
to 1,041,284
 Constituting 0.6
percent of the total
population of Nigeria
Source: UNDESA 2014

16. EMIGRATION: REFUGEES
Distribution of refugees between 2009 and 2013
15,609 15,640 17,141 18,021
31,614
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Source: UNHCR 2014a
Major Countries of destination:
Canada, Germany, Italy, and
the UK
Causes of their movement:
-for better opportunities
-run away from conflict
-avoid environmental
disaster.
Total Number of Refugees:
31,664

17. EMIGRATION: ASYLUM SEEKERS
14%
18%
33%
21% 14%
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Major Countries of
destination:
Canada, Germany,
Austria
Total Number of Asylum
Seekers:
22,322
Distribution of Asylum Seekers between 2009 and 2013
Source: UNHCR 2014a

18. Major destination countries for Nigerian Students
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
Country of Destination
Frequencies
NIGERIAN STUDENTS
Source: UNESCO 2014
Major Countries of
destination:
Ghana, South Africa,
Malaysia, Canada
2014 total number of
Nigerian tertiary-level
students
49,531

19. TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING
 Nigeria as a country of origin, transit and destination for young boys,
women and children exposed forcefully to labour and sex trafficking
Main destination Countries
Italy, Spain, Norway, Scotland, the Netherlands, Germany, Turkey,
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway,
Ireland,
 Ranking the Country in Tier 2: The government of Nigeria does not
fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking (TIP Report, 2014).
 In the meantime, the government has devised strategies to improve
the existing situation.
Rescued Victims:
 187 victims of sex trafficking, 539 victims of labour trafficking and 51
individuals were identified as victims of trafficking-related crimes.

20. INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS
7,000,000
6,000,000
5,000,000
4,000,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
0
2009 2010 2011 2012
 Nigeria records the
highest IDPs in the Sub-
Saharan region with an
official figure of 3,300,000
 Constituting 2% of the
total population of Nigeria
 The country is ranked
among the five top
countries with more IDP's
globally
 Nigeria since 2013 has
witnessed increasing
attacks by the radical
Islamic terrorist group, Boko
Haram, leading to the
displacement of 470,500
people
Flood-induced Displacement in Nigeria (2009-2012)

21. REMITTANCES
•
Outflows (in US$ million) Inflows (in US$ million)
9,585 10,045 10,681
2009
2010
2011
47
48
0
Remittances contribute
immensely to Nigeria’s
development,
accounting for 4.5
percent of the country’s
GDP (World Bank, 2011).

22. OVERVIEW OF Nigeria's MIGRATION POLICIES
AND LEGISLATION

23. MIGRATION POLICIES AND LEGISLATIONS
NATIONAL
MIGRATION
POLICY
(In progress) REGIONAL
OVERVIEW OF
NIGERIA’S
MIGRATION
POLICIES AND
FRAMEWORKS
LEGISLATIVE
INSTRUMENTS
- ECOWAS Protocol on
Free Movements of Persons,
Residence and
Establishment
- ECOWAS Political
Declaration and Regional
Plan of Action against
Trafficking in Persons
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL
INSTRUMENTS
- The 1952 UN Convention on the
Status of Refugees
-The 1966 International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights
- The 1966 International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights, ratified in 1993
NATIONAL
LEGISLATION ON
MIGRATION
- Immigration Act of
1963
- The Labour Act of
1974
- The Child’s Right’s
Act, 2003 and many
more

24. Stakeholders in international migration

25. GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS, AGENCIES AND
DEPARTMENTS
Government Institutions,
Departments and
Agencies
Federal
Ministry of
Labour and
Productivity
Nigeria
Immigration
Service
Nigerians in
Diaspora
Organization
National
Commission
For Refugees,
Immigrants and
Internally
Displaced
Persons
National
Population
Commission
National
Volunteer
Service
Other
Government
Institutions
eg. National
Bureau of
Statistics,
Central Bank
of Nigeria

26. OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND
INSTITUTIONS

27. ASSESSMENT OF MIGRATION GOVERNANCE

28. ASSESSMENT OF MIGRATION GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA
COHERENCE AND COORDINATION
The need for a mechanism in charge of the
allocation of role and responsibility to all key
institutional actors involved in migration
management in the country
POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
Nigeria is slow in enacting and
implementing policies for effective
management of migration in the
country
CRIMINALIZATION OF NIGERIAN
IMMIGRATION
Migration management in Nigeria is
closely knitted with national, regional
and international security concerns,
which unfortunately has a spill-over
repercussion on genuine migration
LEADERSHIP AT THE REGIONAL
LEVEL
Nigeria should take up the leadership
mantle and seek support from the rest of
the countries to address all concerns
associated with regional migration.
DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT AND
POLITICAL EXCLUSION
Nigeria's effort to include the diaspora
in development is equally contradicted
by contravening efforts to resist
diaspora involvement in national politics

29. conclusion

30. CONCLUSION
 There is a lack of data to support Nigeria’s enormous
external migration
 Socio-political and economic insecurity has and continues
to force Nigerians to leave the country
 Nigeria remains a major source of international migrants.
However, destination countries are not so welcoming to
Nigerian immigrants
 The low skilled nature of most Nigerian immigrants means
they engage in nefarious activities in host countries
 Government policy fails to tackle the root of Nigeria’s illegal
migration problem

31. KEY RESEARCH ISSUES AND GAPS
THE EMBEDDED RELIGIOUS-CULTURAL
ELEMENTS IN NIGERIAN MIGRATION
It will be worthwhile to gain greater insight
into current migration practices in Nigeria;
how they have developed, and the extent to
which they are still relevant in, and
sustained by Nigerian culture, religion and
society.
THE EXTENT OF FORCED DISPLACEMENT
AND INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY
The extent to which government actions
and inactions, as well as activities of
terrorist groups and multinational
companies, particularly those in the oil
field, have contributed to forced migration
in and out of Nigeria is yet to be
qualitatively and quantitatively determined
KEY RESEARCH ISSUES
AND GAPS
ETHICAL AND HUMANITARIAN ISSUES
There is the need for further research to
provide useful suggestions that will help to
draw a right balance between human
rights, ethics and security concerns in the
management of Nigerian migration

32. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION