Irregular Migration Across the Sahel

Introduction

Vulnerable groups in Nigeria, including those displaced by protracted conflict, face an urgent need for recovery. One path to this recovery is migration, often driven by governance failure, economic hardship, lack of opportunities, and a continued cycle of violence. Many people risk using irregular migration routes to reach Europe, travelling through the deadly Sahel corridor.  The recent spike in migration reflects the dire realities of populations affected by violent extremism, displacement, and poverty, which compel many to seek alternatives.

What’s New?

The twin crises of conflict and displacement have reached a critical point, displacing over three million people from conflict-affected communities in Nigeria, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). These displacement figures are compounded by worsening levels of poverty and inequality, limited economic opportunities, and climate change-induced challenges that disrupt agricultural activities—the main means of sustenance for the country’s large rural communities. As a result, more people are turning to migration in search of better opportunities.

Key findings

• Security and governance failure: The protracted challenge of non-state actor violence and other forms of insecurity has caused a significant migration flow from Nigeria. Also, the lack of accountability, systemic corruption, and poor public service delivery have alienated citizens from accessing essential government services, widening their distrust of the state and heightening their inclination towards migration. 
• Information gap and low literacy on migration laws: Inadequate access to migration-related information and awareness among citizens has impeded the ability of citizens to make informed decisions. This is also combined with the increasing disinformation and propaganda emanating from the Sahel, which fosters citizen-government distrust in Nigeria.
• Cycle of conflict: While safety and security count as one of the reasons for migration, many migrants become entrapped in fresh cycles of extreme violence in the Sahel, falling prey to trafficking or radicalisation. Youths from Nigeria are documented to have worked on dangerous mining operations controlled by terrorists in the region.
• Policy gaps: Effective migration governance must prioritise the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs), including legal documentation and regular migration pathways. However, existing Nigerian policies—the Social Protection Policy, National Policy on IDPs, and National Migration Policy–do not provide structured channels, especially for IDPs and people in conflict-ridden communities, to access safe and legal migration options.

Why does it matter?

• Global issue of concern: The movement of people influences national security, economy, and bilateral and diplomatic relations in origin, transit, and destination countries. The continued influx of migrants strains social systems across transit and destination countries. It further encourages both professional and low-skill labour migration, thereby posing a threat to national development.
• Regional insecurity and instability: The Sahel, which serves as both a transit and destination point for migrants, has since become a regional hub for organised crimes like arms smuggling and terrorism financing activities that must be addressed through multilateral partnerships. However, geopolitics and militarisation in certain states have created political instability that eventually led the Sahelian members of ECOWAS to exit, weakening cooperation on defence and security and enabling terrorism to flourish.
• Economic setbacks: Migration produces diaspora remittance, including social remittance, that improves grassroots economic activities, contributes to GDP, and builds the resilience of those back home. However, unmanaged migration deprives origin-countries like Nigeria of these benefits and deepens poverty and social crises.

What can be done?

• The Nigerian government should embed a strong social safety net in the Social Protection Policy, especially one that covers livelihood recovery for at-risk populations, vocational training, and psychosocial support to reduce migration pressure and restore agency to vulnerable Nigerians.
• The nation’s Ministry of Information and National Orientation should collaborate with relevant MDAs and NGOs to promote migration literacy in rural and underserved communities, equipping citizens with accurate information on risks and opportunities.
• Develop and integrate a specialised migration framework for IDPs and vulnerable populations into the National Migration Policy to access migration opportunities.
• Partner with international, regional, and diplomatic actors to integrate migrants into both high- and low-skill jobs that contribute to the host country’s economy and benefit the origin country through diaspora remittances.

Conclusion

The Nigerian migration crisis is beyond securitisation and border control measures. It involves creating favourable conditions at home to tackle poverty, inequality, conflict, and displacement. In addition, migration must be viewed as an inevitable part of contemporary times. Thus, Nigeria’s policies should respond to the peculiarities of migration and foster strategic regional and international cooperation for effective migration governance.

Further reading

1. IOM Nigeria. IOM Nigeria: Migration Health Strategy. https://nigeria.iom.int/sites/g/files/tmzbdl1856/files/documents/2024-04/iomnig1_0.pdf
2. Innovation for Poverty Action. The myth of the misinformed migrant? Survey insights from Nigeria’s irregular migration epicenter. https://poverty-action.org/publication/myth-misinformed-migrant-survey-insights-nigeria%27s-irregular-migration-epicenter
3. HumAngle. The Young Nigerians Caught in the Gold Rush Financing Terrorism in the Sahel. https://humanglemedia.com/the-young-nigerians-caught-in-the-gold-rush-financing-terrorism-in-the-sahel/#:~:text=Young%20men%20from%20Nigeria’s%20North,terrorism%20in%20the%20troubled%20region

Acknowledgment: This policy brief was made possible through the dedication of a talented team of professionals, led by Abdussamad Ahmad Yusuf, who contributed to the research, analysis, and drafting of this document.