Michael Olugbode in Buja
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has warned that misinformation, false promises and inadequate access to reliable migration information are exposing Nigerians to human trafficking, migrant smuggling and travel fraud, declaring that border controls alone cannot address the growing challenges of irregular migration.
The Service called for coordinated action by government agencies, security institutions, development partners, community leaders, civil society organisations and the media to close information gaps and ensure that prospective migrants can make informed decisions about travelling abroad.
The Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nandap, gave the warning in a speech delivered by the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Visa and Residency Directorate, Franca Nwanneka, at a Stakeholder Sensitisation and Engagement Seminar in Abuja on Wednesday.
The seminar was themed, “Bridging the Information Gap: Promoting Informed, Safe and Regular Migration.”
Nandap said although people migrated in pursuit of education, employment, safety and better opportunities, decisions influenced by misinformation, deceptive promises and limited awareness of lawful migration pathways could expose them to serious risks and devastating consequences.
“Human trafficking, migrant smuggling, travel fraud, and irregular migration highlight the risk of inadequate information and intelligence sharing among operational stakeholders,” she said.
The Comptroller-General stressed that tackling the problem required more than enforcement at the nation’s borders, insisting that prospective migrants must have access to accurate, timely and reliable information before making decisions that could affect their safety and future.
“Preventing these risks requires more than border control. It begins with equipping prospective migrants with accurate, timely, and reliable information to make informed decisions and pursue safe, lawful migration pathways,” she said.
The warning places public awareness and access to trustworthy information at the centre of Nigeria’s migration management efforts, with the Service seeking stronger collaboration among institutions responsible for border security, migration governance and public sensitisation.
Nandap said the NIS was strengthening its operational capacity through institutional reforms, modern border management technologies, intelligence gathering and improved service delivery.
She cited the recent deployment of the border control and immigration management system and other technology-driven platforms as part of efforts to build a modern, responsive and intelligence-led immigration service.
However, she acknowledged that technology and stronger border controls could not independently resolve the factors driving irregular migration.
“Nevertheless, we recognise that even the most sophisticated border management systems cannot on their own address the underlying factors that encourage irregular migration,” she said.
The Comptroller-General therefore urged stakeholders to move beyond discussions and adopt coordinated, practical measures to counter misinformation and ensure that reliable migration information reaches communities, particularly those most vulnerable to exploitation.
She specifically called on government agencies, security institutions, development partners, traditional and community leaders, civil society organisations, educational institutions, transport operators and the media to take greater responsibility for public sensitisation.
“Migration sensitisation is a shared responsibility that cannot be left to the Nigeria Immigration Service alone,” she said.
According to her, the seminar was designed to help stakeholders examine existing approaches, identify institutional gaps and explore how innovation, community participation and inter-agency cooperation could improve migration management.
She expressed confidence that the presentations, roundtable discussions and technical sessions would generate practical recommendations towards a safer and more coordinated migration management system.
The NIS chief also commended partner institutions, development partners, resource persons and participants for their contributions to strengthening migration governance in Nigeria.
Also speaking at the seminar, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with the NIS to promote regular migration and address migration-related challenges.
Nnenna Onuoha, Senior Programme Associate of IOM Nigeria, who represented the organisation’s Chief of Mission, Sharon Dimanche, said the partnership between the two institutions had continued to grow stronger and produce tangible results.
“The relationship and the partnership between IOM and NIS have been and have continued to grow stronger and have produced tangible results,” Onuoha said.
She described the engagement as an opportunity for stakeholders to deliberate on how collective action could make regular migration more accessible and commonplace in Nigeria.
Onuoha conveyed Dimanche’s goodwill to the participants and expressed the IOM’s hope that the discussions would lead to fruitful deliberations and actionable outcomes.
The collaboration reflects a shared emphasis on stakeholder engagement and better-informed migration decisions, with the NIS focusing on its statutory responsibilities for immigration control and migration management and the IOM supporting cooperation on migration-related issues.
The challenge ahead, however, is to translate the commitments made at the seminar into sustained public education, improved access to reliable migration information and effective coordination among relevant institutions.
For the NIS, the objective is to ensure that prospective migrants can distinguish legitimate migration opportunities from deceptive offers and understand the lawful pathways available to them before embarking on potentially dangerous journeys.
The seminar brought together representatives of security and law enforcement agencies, regional and international organisations, border management institutions, civil society groups, non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, academic institutions and other stakeholders.
Nwanneka formally declared the seminar open on behalf of Nandap, expressing the Service’s expectation that the deliberations would advance a safer, smarter and more coordinated migration management system in Nigeria.