The Federal Government on Thursday officially unveiled and validated the Revised National Migration Policy (NMP) 2025 alongside its Integrated Implementation Plan.
The policy was presented in Abuja during the 2025 Migration Dialogue organised by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), with the support of development partners.
Speaking at the event, President Bola Tinubu urged migration stakeholders to prioritise innovative solutions, collaborative strategies and the effective implementation of the revised policy.
Represented by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, the president described the revised policy as a significant step forward, noting that it introduces key innovations, strengthens institutional coordination and provides a clear implementation and monitoring framework.
“We must adopt a governance model that is evidence-based, people-centred and development-oriented.
“The federal government is fully committed to its operationalisation, and we will work tirelessly with all stakeholders to ensure effective implementation at national and sub-national levels,” he said.
Tinubu added that the revised policy reflects the evolving realities of migration, aligns with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ensures coherence with regional and global migration instruments.
He also commended the continued support of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) and other partners for strengthening Nigeria’s migration governance framework.
In his remarks, the Minister of State, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Sununu, revealed that Nigeria currently hosts more than six million internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of whom live within host communities rather than formal camps.
According to him, this reality underscores the need for policies that extend beyond emergency response to focus on durable solutions, community stabilisation and social cohesion.
“The revised policy rightly strengthens provisions on internally displaced persons, return, reintegration and community-based recovery,” Sununu said.
He, however, identified poverty as one of the strongest drivers of irregular migration, internal mobility and vulnerability, stressing that addressing migration challenges without tackling poverty remains incomplete.
Also speaking, the Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, Tijani Ahmed, said the commission, with the backing of the federal government, has provided strategic guidance that has led to notable progress in the migration sector.
He disclosed that the engagement would culminate in a special event on climate-induced mobility and the Rabat Process Senior Officials Meeting scheduled for January next year, where Nigeria will serve as chair.
Ahmed noted that Nigeria has strengthened dialogue, partnership and shared responsibility in addressing complex migration challenges.
He revealed that in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration and other partners, the commission facilitated the voluntary return of over 21,000 stranded Nigerian migrants through more than 97 flights from Libya, Niger and Chad.
“In addition, the commission has coordinated the humanitarian reception of over 2,500 Nigerians who were forcibly returned from Europe and other parts of the world,” he said.
In her remarks, the IOM Chief of Mission, Dimanche Sharon, stressed the importance of stronger collaboration among institutions at the federal, state and local government levels to ensure that migration outcomes contribute positively to development, safety and human dignity.