PRESS RELEASE
18 December 2025
Lagos, Nigeria
One City, Many Journeys: CEMESO Marks International Migration Day with a Call for Shared Responsibility and Inclusive Future
As the world marks International Migration Day on 18 December under the theme “One City, Many Journeys – Honouring Migrants and Shaping a Shared Future,” the Centre for Media and Society, CEMESO, has called for renewed national commitment to addressing Nigeria’s complex migration realities, urging policies that place human dignity, opportunity, and shared responsibility at their core.
Nigeria is reminded that migration is not a distant or abstract phenomenon, but a lived reality shaping its cities, communities, and national trajectory. From millions of internally displaced persons forced from their homes by conflict and climate shocks, to young Nigerians seeking opportunity abroad, and diaspora communities sustaining families and local economies through remittances, migration sits at the heart of Nigeria’s social and economic story.
Across the country, internal migration continues to redefine urban life, as rural-to-urban movement accelerates in search of livelihoods, education, and basic services. At the same time, prolonged insecurity in parts of the country has produced one of Africa’s largest populations of internally displaced persons, placing enormous pressure on host communities already grappling with poverty and limited infrastructure. Beyond Nigeria’s borders, the steady outflow of skilled professionals has intensified national conversations around brain drain, even as the Nigerian diaspora remains a critical source of resilience, sending substantial remittance home annually and contributing skills, networks, and innovation to national development.
Speaking to the significance of the day, Dr Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, CEMESO, noted that “migration in Nigeria is not simply about movement across borders; it is about dignity, opportunity, and the kind of society we are building for the future. When young people feel compelled to leave at all costs, or families are displaced repeatedly without durable solutions, migration becomes a mirror reflecting deeper governance and development failures.”
Another critical dimension of Nigeria’s migration experience is the persistent threat of human trafficking and migrant exploitation, particularly affecting women and children. Despite existing laws and institutions, trafficking networks continue to prey on economic desperation and limited legal migration pathways. According to Dr Akingbulu, “the persistence of trafficking tells us that enforcement alone is not enough. We must address the economic vulnerabilities and information gaps that make people easy targets, while strengthening accountability across borders.”
International Migration Day also offers an opportunity to reflect on policy intent versus lived reality. Nigeria has developed multiple migration-related policies and frameworks designed to promote safe, orderly, and beneficial migration. Yet gaps in implementation, coordination, and data continue to undermine impact on the ground. Dr Akingbulu stressed that “policies cannot remain documents on shelves. Effective migration governance requires investment in data, cooperation across federal and state institutions, and meaningful engagement with civil society and migrant communities themselves.”
CEMESO calls on Nigerian stakeholders to act collectively and decisively. Government institutions must prioritise the full implementation of migration and displacement policies, with particular attention to protecting internally displaced persons, expanding economic opportunities for young people, and integrating climate adaptation into development planning. Civil society organisations and the media have a critical role in amplifying migrant voices, countering harmful narratives, and holding authorities accountable for rights-based responses. The private sector can contribute by creating decent jobs, supporting skills development, and lowering the cost of remittances, while international partners should continue to align funding with locally driven, long-term solutions rather than short-term containment approaches.
As Nigeria marks International Migration Day, the message is clear: migration is neither a crisis to be feared nor a problem to be exported, but a shared human reality that demands shared responsibility. “If we honour migrants not just with words, but with policies that expand choice, protect rights, and create opportunity at home,” Dr Akingbulu concluded, “then Nigeria’s many journeys can truly converge into a shared and hopeful future.”
Media Contact
Timothy Bamidele
Programme Manager
Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO)
tbamidele@cemeso.org
+234 805 654 4562
