In a major push to localize migration governance, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons ,NCFRMI, the International Returns and Reintegration Assistance ,IRARA, and the National Orientation Agency ,NOA held a high-level dialogue on Migration, Reintegration and Community Development,”
The event aimed to bridge the gap between national policy and community-level action, ensuring returnees are not just “brought back” but are successfully woven into the social and economic fabric of their home communities.
Stakeholders at the dialogue emphasized that successful migration management requires a “development-oriented” lens. Mr. Roland Nwoha, Country Director for IRARA Nigeria, described the dialogue as a collective effort to ensure that reintegration processes contribute meaningfully to national development.
The dialogue specifically highlighted the ARRIVES Project ,Assisting the Reintegration of Returnees through Integrated Vocational and Entrepreneurship Support in Nigeria. Funded by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees ,BAMF and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund ,AMIF, the project provides a seamless support system for Nigerians returning from Germany through Vocational Pathways,entrepreneurship Support,Job Placement and
Individualized Coaching.
The Southwest Zonal Coordinator of NCFRMI, Alex Oturu who noted that migration governance is most effective when it is decentralized explained that while federal policies provide the roadmap, local actors including traditional leaders and civil society provide the engine for success.
NAPTIP Lagos Zonal Commander, Comfort Agboko, urged the private sector to collaborate more closely with the agency, emphasizing an “open door policy” to implement effective measures against human trafficking while her counterpart with the Nigeria Immigration Service ,NIS,Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Charles Osarenmwinda, hinted that a coordinated approach is crucial to strengthening the “migration infrastructure” and managing return flows in a way that benefits society.
The high point of the event was a moving testimony from a returnee who shared how the ARRIVES project provided him with a dignified return and the resources needed to resettle effectively. His story of transition from an uncertain journey abroad to a stable livelihood in Nigeria drew applause from stakeholders, serving as a live validation of the project’s impact.
The dialogue concluded with a commitment from all agencies to spread the insights gained to their respective Communities.
