From 21- 23 October 2015, the Network for Migration Research in Africa (NOMRA) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration, held a three-day dialogue and advocacy event with Nigeria’s news media practitioners on migration reporting in Lagos. The event was organized within the framework of the 20 million Euro national 10th European Development Fund project “Promoting Better Management of Migration in Nigeria.”

The event, which drew together 25 journalists, senior executives and editors of national media outfits, sensitized media practitioners on the various aspects of migration and its role in the development process. Discussions covered a wide array of topics including the national policies on migration and labour migration, migration and national security, the new framework for the governance of migration, and an overview of leading contemporary migration-development issues.

According to Mr Lanre Idowu, representative of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) “Often we tend to associate migration with negative images of people struggling, dying and brain-drain. However, it is clear that migration also has its merits. For instance, Diasporas, as is the case of Israel, also play an important role, acting as strong lobbying groups of their countries of origin, while also contributing to the development of their host countries.”

Speaking specifically about the need for quality information on migration issues, the representative of the National Planning Commission stated, “Migration has taken a new face internally and internationally in recent times. A fully sensitized media can directly impact society’s understanding of migration, and promote orderly migration while reducing the risk of the exploitation of migrants.”

Hajia H.S. Kangiwa, Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) in her remarks to the journalists said, “The media will play a very important role in the sensitization of Nigerians both at home and abroad on the benefits of regular migration and the dangers of irregular migration as clearly reflected in the [National Migration] Policy.”

Following the adoption of the National Policy on Migration in May 2015, IOM had awarded a 25,000 Euro grant to NOMRA, along with three other civil society organizations towards the Policy’s full implementation within the framework of the national 10th EDF project.

For more information, please contact:

Lily Sanya, Programme Officer, Data and Policy (lsanya@iom.int; +234 705 400 6107), IOM Abuja Elisabeth Douglas, Communications Officer (odouglas@iom.int; +234 818 388 7566), IOM Abuja