UNN Participates in South-East Zonal Workshop to Review Nigeria's 2015 National Migration Policy

Dignitaries at the opening ceremony. Third from left is **Prof. Ignatius Madu** who represented the academic perspective, **Mrs. Ukamaka Anyanechi** representing the Chief of Mission of IOM and Engr. **Ikechukwu Emetu,** the Deputy Governor of Abia State, who declared the workshop open. ***Source:*** Prof. Ignatius A. Madu (2024)

The University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), a partner in the GAPs Project, participated in the South-East zonal workshop for the review of Nigeria’s 2015 National Migration Policy (NMP). The International Organization for Migration (IOM) organized this review, which took place between 17 - 19 July 2024 at Psalms Hotel and Suites, Enugu in Enugu State for the South-East zone of Nigeria. The review has already been conducted in South-West, North-West and North-Central zones and will continue with North-East and South-South zones in the coming days and weeks.
The review was conducted within the framework of the programme “Strengthening Fact-Based and Data-Driven Migration Governance and Management in Nigeria” supported by the Migration Partnership Trust Fund (MPTF). The objective was to engage zonal stakeholders in ensuring a whole-of-society approach and inclusive participation. This aimed at gathering information, enhancing skills, and obtaining valuable feedback to enrich the process and ensure collaborative effort towards a comprehensive review of the NMP. Several sections of the NMP were reviewed during the exercise, including policy principles, governance frameworks and cooperation, return, readmission and reintegration; irregular migration; labour migration, intra-regional migration within the ECOWAS region and Africa and internal migration and forced displacement in Nigeria. The review also covered migration and international cooperation.

Prof. Ignatius A. Madu from the UNN research team was selected by Nigerian government officials to participate in the review exercise, based on his involvement in activities within the scope of the GAPs Project in Nigeria. During the exercise, some participants mentioned their cooperation with the UNN GAPs Project team, while those unfamiliar with GAPs were introduced to it. As a result, they pledged to cooperate with the GAPs team to ensure the success of the project.

Notable participants included:

Ambassador Cathrine Udida, Director, National Commission for Refugees, migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI);
Ogechukwu Enwelum, Legal Adviser, Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL);
Angela Atanda, Managing Director, Esangbedo Humanitarian, Abuja office;
Dr. Emeka Obiezu, National Coordinator, Civil Society Organization Network in Nigeria (CSOnetMADE);
Alexander Oturu, Zonal Coordinator, NCFRMI South-West zone; and
Vincen Okenyi, Zonal Coordinator, NCFRMI South-East zone.