The Federal Government has launched a nationwide Sensitisation Programme Against Irregular Migration to educate Nigerian youth on the dangers of illegal migration and promote sustainable opportunities within the country.
The Southern Zone edition of the programme was held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, from October 3 to 4, 2025. It brought together key stakeholders from government, security agencies, and civil society to discuss solutions to the migration challenges facing young Nigerians.
Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, represented by the Head of Department, Migration and Climate Action, Ms. Grace Leleh, noted that irregular migration continues to claim thousands of lives annually and deprives the nation of its most vital resource — its youth. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reversing the trend through strategic empowerment initiatives aligned with the National Youth Policy (2019).
“Irregular migration — movement outside recognized legal channels — has become a major crisis driven by conflict, economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, natural disasters, and false expectations about life abroad,” he said. “Many young Nigerians fall victim to human trafficking, forced labour, organ harvesting, and modern slavery, particularly along dangerous routes like the Mediterranean.”
He explained that the Ministry is addressing the root causes of irregular migration through various empowerment programmes, including vocational training, waste-to-wealth initiatives, work experience opportunities, the ₦110 billion National Youth Investment Fund, agricultural start-up grants, establishment of Youth Development Centres across 774 LGAs, and a 30% youth inclusion policy in governance.
“These interventions are designed not only to deter irregular migration but also to provide viable alternatives for young Nigerians to thrive within their own country,” he added.
Representing the Ogun State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olanrewaju Ogunyinka, emphasized the dangers of irregular migration for youths aged 18 to 35. He described the practice as life-threatening and detrimental to national development, warning that it leads to brain drain and strains families and communities.
In a goodwill message, Mrs. Jimoh Abosede, representing the State Coordinator of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), stressed the need to protect youths from traffickers who prey on their vulnerability and desperation. She urged young Nigerians to verify travel information and avoid secret travel arrangements.
Similarly, CSI Olajide Osifeso, representing the Ogun State Controller of Immigration, acknowledged youths’ aspirations for a better life but cautioned against unsafe migration routes. “Wanting a better life is not a crime, but pursuing it through illegal routes is a dangerous gamble,” he warned, citing cases of Nigerians trafficked through Libya and Tanzania whose journeys ended in tragedy.
The programme reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians and curbing irregular migration through education, economic empowerment, and collaboration among stakeholders.
ADEOLA KUNLE
