NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE DECEMBER 2020 Spotlight 2: Making the most of young Nigerians’ economic potential: The case for more and better managed international labor migration from Nigeria46 Summary: The surge in irregular migration from Nigeria in 2010 to 23.1 percent in 2018. Unemployment during the height of the European migration crisis in 2016- rate was significantly higher for youth (34.7 percent) 17 is a direct consequence of worsening joblessness, combined compared to non-youth (19 percent). With COVID- with young people not having regular channels to find work 19-induced lockdowns, this trend is likely to have overseas. Travel restrictions and border closures caused worsened, especially in urban areas. Over three in by COVID-19 are leading to declines in international four (77 percent) respondents in a survey this August migration from countries of origin such as Nigeria. But this by the NBS and the World Bank reported working is a short-term hiatus. Over the medium term, international in a town or city, for instance, a fall from more than migration is likely to continue increasing, primarily due to four in five (85 percent) before mid-March.47 While economic and demographic factors. Given the overwhelming unemployment rates have increased substantially for evidence of the economic benefits of economic migration in Nigerians across all education levels over the years, it the global context, Nigeria stands to benefit from creating has become progressively more challenging for educated new migration corridors as well harnessing additional Nigerians to find employment opportunities. Between returns from existing corridors. Opening new, safe, and 2010 and 2020, the unemployment rate increased by orderly channels for international labor migration could 22.6 percentage points for Nigerians with secondary unlock unrealized gains for Nigeria’s economy and help education and 30.1 percentage points for Nigerians with facilitate its recovery. post-secondary education (Figure 3.8). Concerned about their prospects at home, Nigeria’s A combination of rising unemployment, youth are increasingly looking to other economies booming demographics, and unfulfilled for work. A Gallup poll conducted before the 2019 aspirations is increasing the pressure on presidential elections shows that roughly half of all young Nigerians to migrate in search for Nigerians said it was a “bad time” to find a job in the gainful employment overseas. economy.48 Unemployment for both youth and adults has consistently ranked as the most important issue Nigeria’s expanding working-age population, facing the country, above management of the economy, combined with scarce domestic employment poverty, corruption, and electricity.49 Consequently, opportunities, is creating high rates of multiple surveys show that the number of Nigerians unemployment. Between 2010 and 2018, 25 million who are looking to migrate internationally is high and Nigerians entered the labor force. During the same increasing. The proportion keen to leave permanently period, the unemployment rate rose from 9.7 percent has increased from 36 percent in 2014 to 52 percent 46 Prepared by Samik Adhikari, Economist, Social Protection and Jobs. 47 World Bank, 2020. 48 Gallup, 2019. 49 See summary of results from Round 5, Round 6, and Round 7 of the Afro Barometer Surveys for Nigeria. 68 Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: NIGERIA’S COVID RESPONSE  nemployment rates among Nigeria’s Figure 3.7. U  nemployment rates among educated Figure 3.8. U youth have been rising steeply. Nigerians have accelerated since 2015. Percent Percent 40 – 50 – 35 – 45 – 40 – 30 – 35 – 25 – 30 – 20 – 25 – 15 – 20 – 15 – 10 – 10 – 5– 5– 0– 0– 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 ▬ Youth (Nigeria definition) … Non-youth (Nigeria definition) ▬ Never attended school ▬ Below primary ▬ Primary ▬ Youth (ILO definition) … Non-youth (ILO definition) ▬ Secondary ▬ Post secondary Source: World Bank Calculations based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Note: Unemployment (ILO Definition): The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: (a) without work during the reference period, i.e., were not in paid employment or self-employment; (b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and (c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. Unemployment (National Definition): In addition to the unemployed as defined by ILO, NBS considers any individual as ‘unemployed’ who could not find work for at least 20 hours during the reference period.  he desire of Nigerians to migrate Figure 3.9. T  hose Nigerians who are keenest to Figure 3.10. T internationally has grown in recent years migrate tend to be young, well educated, (Gallup). and urban (Afro Barometer). Proportion of respondents who would move permanently to Proportion of respondents considering emigrating to another another country country Percent Percent 55 – 50 – 45 – 50 – 40 – 35 – 45 – 30 – 25 – 40 – 20 – 15 – 10 – 35 – 5– 0– 30 – Overall Youth Secondary Post Nigeria Unemployed (18–34) education Urban secondary 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 education  igerians are more likely to want to migrate internationally than almost all their peers in the sub- Figure 3.11. N Saharan Africa region. Proportion of respondents who would move permanently to another country (Nigeria and regional peers) Percent 80 – 70 – 60 – 50 – 40 – 30 – 20 – 10 – 0– eri a on e eri a an a go bo n ia vill e ine a ire al nin on so nia ad li er Lib Le Nig Gh To Ga mb za 'Ivo eg Be ero Fa rita Ch Ma Nig a Ga z Gu d Se n m na u Si err Bra ote Ca rki Ma ng o C Bu Co Source: World Bank Calculations based on data from Gallup (Panel A) and Afro Barometer (Panel B). Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda 69 NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE DECEMBER 2020  he share of Nigerian migrants in Europe Figure 3.12. T  igerian international migrants are most Figure 3.13. N and North America has increased numerous in the United Kingdom, the considerably since 1990. United States, and Cameroon. Stock of international migrants from Nigeria in select Destination countries for Nigerian migrants in 1990 and regions, in millions 2019 1.6 – USA – 309,699 55,530 GBR – 205,698 1.4 – 45,984 NER – 130,982 38,319 1.2 – BEN – 86,226 15,728 1.0 – ITA – 11,859 80,235 GHA – 14,876 79,023 0.8 – CMR – 105,140 148,076 0.6 – CAB – 45,188 0.4 – DEU – 44,015 ESP – 29,204 0.2 – TGO – 32,176 0– CIV – 44,791 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2019 0 50,000 100,000 150,000 200,000 250,000 300,000 350,000 J Other regions J Europe J Northern America J SSA Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, International Migration Outlook, 2019 revisions and World Bank estimates. in 2018, according to Gallup (Figure 3.9). This is one Young Nigerians are increasingly opting of the highest levels in sub-Saharan Africa (Figure for irregular migration routes to realize 3.11). Data from Afro Barometer show that the desire their hopes for a better life overseas. to migrate is higher among unemployed (38 percent), youth (39 percent), secondary education graduates With options for legal migration limited, young (39 percent), urban residents (41 percent) and post- Nigerians are increasing choosing irregular secondary graduates (45 percent) in Nigeria (Figure alternatives to find better work opportunities overseas 3.10). Notably, these proportions far exceed the actual than they can find at home. The number of first-time proportion of international migrants in the Nigerian asylum seekers from sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria population. into Europe peaked in 2016 (Figure 3.14), at the height of the “European migration crisis”, before subsiding Nigeria’s volume of international migrants has more in late-2017. Nigerians represented the largest group than tripled since 1990, increasing from 450,000 of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africans who arrived in then to around 1.4 million last year.50 Over the Europe in 2016 and 2017. Nearly 40,000 Nigerians same period, the proportion of Nigerians classifying arrived in Italy in 2016, with over 90 percent of those as international migrants has risen by 0.2 percentage arriving via sea routes. Nigerian migrants arriving in points, to 0.7 percent. This is much lower than in Sub- Italy were more like to be women (32 percent)51 and Saharan Africa (2.5 percent) and the world (3.5 percent). have completed secondary education (39 percent)52 Most Nigerians migrate within Sub-Saharan Africa, than other migrants from sub-Saharan Africa (the although as a share of total migrants in this region their proportion of which stand at 24 percent and 21 percent, representation has fallen. Nigerians going to Europe and respectively). North America, meanwhile, has increased considerably since 1990 (Figure 3.12). Around 85 percent of all Irregular migration carries a tremendous economic, Nigerian migrants in 2019 were concentrated in 12 physical, and psychological cost, yet Nigerian destination countries, with United States, United migrants still choose to go ahead with it. Those Kingdom, and Cameroon topping the list (Figure 3.13). migrating from Nigeria to Italy tend to be from relatively 50 UNDESA, 2020. 51 World Bank calculations based on data from Eurostat. 52 World Bank, 2018. 70 Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: NIGERIA’S COVID RESPONSE  sylum seekers from sub-Saharan Africa Figure 3.14. A  igerian migrants pay up to US$10,000 Figure 3.15. N and Nigeria to Europe peaked in 2016 to migrate to Europe through irregular and 2017 before subsiding. means. Number of first-time asylum seekers in EU countries, in Migration costs paid by migrants to reach destination thousands countries (US$) 250 – Nigerians: 1,979 Nigeria to Italy (KNOMAD) 200 – Median asylum 2,250 seeker from SSA (EASS) Nigerians: 2,773 150 – Libya to Italy (IOM) Median asylum 3,500 100 – seeker from Africa (EASS) Nigerians: 8,436 Niger to Italy 50 – (IOM) Nigerians: 10,000 Libya to Netherlands 0– (IOM) 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 0 4,000 8,000 12,000 ▬ SSA ▬ Nigeria Source: Eurostat, IOM, KNOMAD, EASS reports and World Bank estimates. richer households. Even so, these journeys cost around studies confirm an inverted-U shaped relationship 10 times their average household monthly income, at between emigration levels and income.55 That is, as a minimum. Aside from the economic costs, migrants countries grow richer, emigration levels tend to increase face a high risk of abuse, especially at the hands of until they reach upper-middle income status. Recent data criminal networks. Over 14,000 Nigerians have been from Nigeria confirms this trend. Relatively richer states returned from Libya through IOM’s Assisted Voluntary in Nigeria with lower poverty rates receive a higher share Humanitarian Return and Repatriation (AVHRR) of international remittances (Figure 3.16). The share of programs since 2016.53 Outside of Libya and in other Nigerians actively preparing to emigrate internationally transit countries, the number of Nigerians in Niger is higher in the richer quintiles of the income increased from 19,177 in 2010 to 93,179 in 2015.54 distribution (Figure 3.17). Labor shortages in developed Besides migrants in transit, many migrants have lost countries and labor surplus in developing countries such their lives in the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean as Nigeria mean that employment opportunities will Sea while striving to reach Europe. likely remain unequally distributed across the globe in the future. This creates an opportunity for some young Nigerian jobseekers to find temporary employment Nigerians will continue to migrate abroad. The effect of the aging populations of developed overseas for work in the foreseeable countries is similar. The ratio of people over 65 to the future; this can benefit Nigeria through total population is predicted to reach 48 percent in the remittances and the transfer of skills EU compared to 4 percent in Nigeria by 2050.56 and technology, but it needs to be well- managed and regulated. The contribution that international migrants make Given that the economic and demographic factors to Nigeria’s GDP through remittances far outweighs driving international migration remain largely their size as a proportion of the population (i.e. unchanged, Nigerians can be expected to continue 0.7 percent).57 Nigerian migrants and others in the migrating abroad for the foreseeable future. Multiple diaspora contributed over 25 billion dollars to the 53 Info Migrants, 2019. 54 United Nations, 2019b. 55 Zelinksy (1971); Martin and Taylor (1996); de Haas (2010); Clemens (2014). 56 United Nations, 2019a. 57 World Bank calculations using United Nations Data on International Migrants Stock (2019). Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda 71 NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE DECEMBER 2020  hare of households receiving Figure 3.16. S  hare of Nigerians actively preparing to Figure 3.17. S international remittances is higher in emigrate is higher in the richer quintiles States with lower poverty rates. of the income distribution. Share of households receiving international remittances Probability of preparing for migration along the per adult compared to national poverty rates household income spectrum Percent Income density Probability of preparing for migration 12 – – 0.08 0.4 – 10 – Edo – 0.06 8– 0.3 – 6– – 0.04 0.2 – Lagos Imo 4– Oyo Ogun Delta Ekiti 0.1 – – 0.02 Ondo Abia 2 – Osun Cross River Plateau Adamawa Anambra Rivers Enugu Ebonyi Kwara Kogi FCT Kebbi Katsina Yobe Jigawa Gombe Taraba 0– Bayelsa 0– –0 Akwa Ibom Benue Kaduna BauchiNiger Sokota 0 20 40 Kano 60 Zamfara 80 100 100 1,000 10,000 Poverty rate, percent Household income per adult, PPP$ in scale Source: NBS and World Bank estimates. Source: Clemens, 2020. Nigerian economy in 2019 (6 percent of Nigeria’s emergence of sectors that would otherwise have not GDP58). This is the equivalent of total oil rents in 201759 been created in countries of origin.61 The links that and is fourfold what Nigeria received through foreign migrants help generate between two countries help direct investment and official development assistance reduce trade-related transaction costs.62 Returning combined. Remittances also have the benefit of being migrants also contribute to the spreading of ideas, less volatile. technology, and knowledge in their countries of origin, as well as the creation and expansion of export-oriented The imperative going forward is to open safe and sectors.63 Managed labor migration schemes directly orderly channels for international migration, to the benefits prospective migrants and their households, and benefit of recipient countries and Nigeria alike. A indirectly benefits the Nigerian economy by bringing to more regularized system would help ensure Nigeria’s fruition unrealized economic gains.64 excess labor is productively used, generating value for the country where they work while also allowing for the transfer of knowledge, skills, and resources back to Migrants are key to economic recovery Nigeria. For emigrating workers, migration provides from COVID-19 in many destination an opportunity to move to a higher earning job and countries, who are facing shrinking send back remittances to their families. For sending population and labor shortages in key households, global evidence strongly suggests that sectors remittances help in investments in human capital of children and provides cushions against economic In many high-income countries, migrants will shocks.60 Looking more broadly, migrants help spur continue to plug labor shortages in essential sectors. innovation in the economy, which often leads to Many high-income OECD countries are facing a 58 World Bank, World Development Indicators. 59 Ibid. 60 See for example, Azizi (2018) using data from 122 developing countries. 61 For example, the IT sector in India and Israel, see Khanna and Morales (2017) and Rosenberg (2018). 62 Cohen et al (2017), Parsons and Vezina (2018). 63 Bahar et al (2018). 64 See for example UCTAD (2018) report on international migration in Africa which states that international migrants contributed about 19 percent of Cote d’Ivoire’s GDP in 2008 and 9 percent of South Africa’s GDP in 2011. 72 Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: NIGERIA’S COVID RESPONSE  igeria has a much higher ratio of Figure 3.18. N  ost Europeans favor a degree of Figure 3.19. M working age people to those aged 65 immigration, especially for skilled and older than high-income OECD professionals who can plug key skills countries. shortages. Ratio of working age-population to those aged 65 and older Favorability for skilled and unskilled migration in the EU Percent 25 – 100 – 9 12 90 – 25 32 80 – 23 20 – 26 70 – 60 – 33 15 – 50 – 34 44 40 – 43 30 – 10 – 33 20 – 26 10 – 23 19 10 8 5– 0– Professionals Professionals Unskilled Unskilled from poor from poor labourers labourers (specific) (specific) from poor from poor 0– European non-European (specific) (specific) countries countries European non-European 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 countries countries ▬ Nigeria ▬ USA ▬ Canada ▬ United Kingdom J Allow many J Allow some J Allow a few J Allow none ▬ France … Germany ▬ Italy Source: UNDESA Population Projections and World Bank estimates. Source: European Social Survey and World Bank estimates.  number of innovative migration approaches for Nigerians are now in place, led by Box 3.2. A various European countries in partnership with private companies and international organizations. a 21-month project funded by the European Commission through the Mobility Partnership Digital Explores,  Facility (MPF), is a temporary legal labor migration scheme that employed 50 young ICT specialists from Nigeria in Lithuania. The program objective is to enhance skills and address labor shortages as well as contribute to the growth and development of career advancement in both countries. It is facilitated, on the Nigerian side, by Ventures Platform Foundation and Jobberman (a private recruitment company). Lithuanian companies were interested in tapping the potential of a growing and vibrant pool IT professionals in Nigeria. The program shows great potential for socio-economic impact and Nigeria was considered to have huge potentials for human resources export. The conversation is now moving from brain drain to brain circulation. Similarly, IOM MATCH a ims to address existing labor shortages in Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, and Luxembourg in the ICT sector through smart and organized labor migration. This will be done by facilitating matches between highly skilled African talents in Nigeria with employers in the four destination countries through an international private recruitment agency. Selection and screening of candidates will take place in countries of origin with highest recruitment standards and advanced technologies to test for language and technical skills. A shortlist of the best candidates will be sent to employers for final selection. Onboarding and training will initially be conducted remotely in countries of origin until travel restrictions are in place. Selected candidates will then be assisted to relocate to countries of destination for employment opportunities spanning 1–2 years. Nigeria was selected as one of the countries of origin for this partnership because of a booming IT sector. Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda 73 NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE DECEMBER 2020 continuous decline in fertility rates, leading to a went through a process to regularize irregular migrants reduction in the working age population (15–64) and an to enable recovery in critical sectors. increase in the population aged 65 or older (Figure 3.18). This has increased the burden on the social security and healthcare systems and led to economic slowdowns. In Nigeria has the right policy instruments 2013, a survey conducted by the European Union found and institutions in place to take that 39 percent of firms in the European Union (EU) advantage of economic migration, had difficulty finding staff with the right skills.65 Skills remittances and other opportunities shortages were most pronounced in high- and medium- linked to its diaspora, but room for skilled sectors such as healthcare, ICT, hospitality, improvement exists construction, and tourism. While prevailing narrative Nigeria has made significant recent improvements to may suggest Europeans being unfavorable to increased its managed migration framework and continues to levels of migration to the EU, data from opinion polls draw on the support of stakeholders for policymaking suggest that the story is more nuanced (Figure 3.19). and implementation. These stakeholders (Figure 3.20) Majority of the European public are in favor of migration have the mandate to facilitate access to international from African countries, as long as it is skilled—skills that destinations for prospective Nigerian jobseekers; assist plug specific gaps in the European labor market. Sold migrants in crossing necessary legal and administrative in this way, there is a strong interest from a number of hurdles before departure; support them while in European member states in engaging on legal migration destination countries; help facilitate transfers of skills, pathways between Europe and Africa (Box 3.2). technology, and remittances to Nigeria; and coordinate efforts to support migrants in distress as well as upon The key role of migrants in the global COVID-19 return to Nigeria. Various technical working groups response further highlights the value they bring to (TWG) such as the Labor Migration Working Group, high-income OECD countries and their other host and the Migration Working Group offer platforms nations. Lessons since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis for stakeholders to come together, discuss issues, and in many high-income countries suggests that migrants propose actions to improve migration management formed a large share of “essential” worker category across framework. Similarly, Table 3.1 summarizes key national the skills spectrum. For example, in the United States, level policy documents in place to improve the current 30 percent of doctors and 27 percent of farm workers managed migration framework and reap further returns were foreign-born.66 In Australia, 53 percent of doctors from migration and diaspora. and 35 percent of nurses are immigrants.67 In the EU, more than one in three domestic workers and one in five Nigeria’s labor migration management system workers in the food processing industry are migrants.68 continues to gaps that require closing. Most bilateral Realizing the key role played by migrants in the crisis agreements (BLAs) that Nigeria has entered into recently response, some countries have already instituted reforms only concern the return of irregular Nigerian migrants. realizing that contributions from migrants will be even They are not complemented with BLAs and MOUs that more critical during the recovery phase. Portugal granted offer legal pathways for Nigerians to gain employment all migrants and asylum-seekers citizenship rights. In internationally. Even though national policy documents the US, foreign-born healthcare workers were given mention engaging with destination countries to assess temporary work permits and skills recognition. Italy skills shortages and prepare Nigerian jobseekers to fill those shortages, these strategies are not implemented 65 https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/3071_en.pdf 66 Migration Policy Institute (2020). 67 ILO, 2020. 68 VoxEU, 2020. 74 Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: NIGERIA’S COVID RESPONSE  diverse range of institutions and stakeholders participate in policy-making processes throughout Figure 3.20. A the migration lifecycle. National Immigration Service International Labor Migration Pre-Departure Desk – FMLE Post-Migration Ÿ Issues passports and relevant travel documents Ÿ Ensures protection of employment and social rights of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nigerian workers abroad National Electronic Labor National Commission for Ÿ Negotiates Bilateral Agreements Exchange, International Labor Nigerians in Diaspora Refugees, Migrants and and Memorandum of Migration Desk Commission Internally Displaced Persons Understandings with countries and National Agency for of destination Ÿ Acts as a labor intermediation Ÿ Offers support to diasporas in the Prohibition of Trafficking in platform collecting information need abroad Persons Federal Ministry of Justice and on jobseekers and international Federal Ministry of Interior employers; registers PEAs Ÿ Helps facilitate transfers of Ÿ Coordinates efforts to receive skills, technology, and returnee migrants and Ÿ Helps ratify relevant National Board of Technical investment from the diaspora reintegrate them into the society international conventions on Education – Federal Ministry of migrants Education Central Bank of Nigeria Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment National Agency for the Ÿ Provide skills training and Ÿ Regulates banks and Prohibition of Trafficking in certification to potential other financial institutions; and Ÿ Provide employment services to Persons migrants governs the remittance of funds returning/repatriated migrants into Nigeria, including and help them integrate in Ÿ Helps create awareness against Migration Resource Centers, determining the remittance Nigeria’s labor market human trafficking International Labor Migration commission/charge. Desk National Board of Technical Federal Ministry of Labor and National Bureau of Statistics and Education – Federal Ministry of Employment Ÿ Serves as a “one-stop shop” National Population Commission Education where intending, actual and Ÿ Develops processes for the returning migrants access Ÿ Have the mandate to provide Ÿ Equip institutions to provide registration and licensing of relevant migration and update data on migrants technical accreditation of skills genuine Private Employment information on legal, organized abroad of returning migrants Agencies (PEAs) and humane migration, rights and protection of migrants Federal Ministry of Health Ÿ Issues necessary medical During Pre-Decision certification to prospective Migration migrants  stimated impact (percentage drop from expected) of COVID-19 on essential services in Nigeria. Table 3.1. E Policy Document Recommendations for Improving Migration Management and Diaspora Issues • Acknowledges the scant formal structure currently in place to aid prospective Nigerian migrants, and attributes this lack of structure for migrants being poorly informed about the conditions governing entry, work, residence, skills required, cultural issues, and their rights and obligations in destination National Labor Migration countries; Policy (2014) • Calls for the establishment of an effective, responsive, and dynamic labor migration governance system that includes Bilateral Labor Agreements and MOUs on labor migration that would deter risky and unsafe migration by providing jobseekers with information about regular means of securing visas for work purposes in other parts of the world; • Calls for mainstreaming of migration in Nigeria’s development process through its integration in the National Development Plan; National Migration Policy • Outlines several innovative ways for designing programs that attract (2015) foreign investments in Nigerian workforce development systems including determining the types of skills that Nigerian workers need in Nigeria and in other countries and by collaborating with the private sector in destination countries in the provision of continuous training of Nigerian workers; • Proposes initiatives to leverage the economic success of Nigerians in the diaspora and to protect the well-being of Nigerian migrants, including National Policy on Diaspora by reducing the cost of remittances, facilitating transfers of technology Matters (2017) and knowledge back to Nigeria, improving awareness regarding consular services available to Nigerian migrants, and strengthening relevant institutions for proper coordination and administration on diaspora issues; Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda 75 NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE DECEMBER 2020 in practice. In the same vein, more steps could be taken for Nigerians to migrate internationally. Driven to support Nigerian migrants in distress as well as by economic and demographic factors, economic harness ideas and investments from the diaspora. Lack migration will continue to increase from Nigeria in of available data on prospective, current, and returning the foreseeable future. On what terms this migration migrants prevents stakeholders from making informed happens (regular/irregular) can somewhat be decisions to improve migration management practices. determined by policy. This requires a concerted push by the Nigerian government to secure more, larger labor migration partnerships with other countries, in Policy options order to allow prospective Nigerian jobseekers to be gainfully employed in destination countries. Donor Prioritizing the increase of regular migration and private sector led efforts are currently underway alongside reducing irregular migration would to build the capacity of Federal Ministry of Labor generate important positive outcomes for Nigeria, as and Employment (FMLE) which hosts platforms would steps to improve the transfer of investments such as the Migrant Resource Center (MRC), which and skills from Nigeria’s diaspora and its returning provides pre-departure orientation and training to migrants. A sound labor migration management potential migrants; and the National Electronic framework consists of three Pillars: (i) that Prevents Exchange (NELEX) that helps source domestic irregular migration; (ii) that Promotes better migration; and international jobs to match domestic and and (iii) that Provides services to returning migrants and international employers with Nigerian jobseekers. the diaspora. These platforms suffer from lack of financial and technical resources to carry out international • Preventing Irregular Migration:  Since the onset of labor intermediation and should be strengthened the migration crisis in Europe in 2016 and 2017, through government and donor efforts. Similarly, more than 770 million euros have been invested in prospective migrants could be better informed on migration related projects in Nigeria, through the steps involved to migrate through regular means and European Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) project the harms of irregular migration. As an example, financed by the European Commission.69 Majority of the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration in the the financing from EUTF goes towards strengthening Philippines provides a comprehensive web platform border controls, creating anti-trafficking awareness, to disseminate this information. and for domestic job creation programs.70 The impact of these programs are largely unknown. Besides • Provide Services to the Returning Migrants and measures to tighten border control, identifying Current Diaspora:  More than 15,000 Nigerians and addressing constraints to obtaining gainful have been repatriated from various countries since wage employment; boosting self-employment 2016. More migrants could return following the opportunities and incomes; strengthening enterprise onset of the COVID-19 induced economic crisis productivity, growth, and profitability in the in destination countries, that has eroded income- domestic economy; as well as providing effective earning opportunities. Returning migrants need to protection against negative shocks could help deter be better equipped with information and referral on youth from seeking avenues for irregular migration. services available in Nigeria (such as applying for business loan, investing options in Nigeria, getting • Promote Better Migration:  Only 0.3 percent of accredited for skills, searching for jobs, and seeking the total EUTF funds invested in Nigeria have health and social protection services, among others). been allocated towards creating more legal pathways Proactive outreach well before and immediately after 69 The Correspondent, 2019. 70 Ibid. 76 Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: NIGERIA’S COVID RESPONSE return, intensive follow-up and handholding after the (NBTE), can partner with the FMLE, and involve provision of information and referral services, and international recruiters and domestic private sector, a formal link to the services offered for preventing to design vocational training courses that are based on irregular migration and promoting better migration projected shortages in key sectors and are relevant for could put returning migrants on a sustainable both Nigeria and destination markets. economic path in Nigeria. The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) offers a suitable platform Harnessing better migration data would greatly assist for hosting these services. Similarly, current diaspora policymaking. Lack of regular, disaggregated data on facing difficulties abroad, could be informed on international migrants, across the spectrum, is a major resources available through diaspora networks, blind spot in migration-related policymaking in Nigeria. labor attaches, and embassies abroad using the same Data to understand stock and flows of Nigerians residing platform. in other countries remains incomplete and fragmented. Basic administrative data on migrant outflows and Labor migration needs to be mainstreamed in inflows cannot be accessed through the government’s key national policy documents. While key sectoral web platforms. The education and job market profile documents such as the National Labor Migration Policy of prospective and returning Nigerian migrants is not (2014) and National Employment Policy (2017) offer collected in representative household surveys. Very suitable suggestions to leverage managed migration little is known about migrants that irregularly cross (or for providing overseas employment opportunities to attempt to cross) Nigerian borders in a bid to reach Nigerian youth, the issue of migration is absent or European countries, beyond some available data for less salient in the Economic Growth and Recovery those who manage to reach European shores. Even Plan (2017–2020). With Nigeria receiving more than then, data on the income profile of households before US$ 25 billion in remittances in 2019, the absence of migration, costs of migration, or the role of smugglers/ migration as a mainstream development tool to provide networks in facilitating such journeys is unavailable. jobs to the bulging youth population is perplexing. The Similarly, despite a large share of Nigerian migrants drafting of the new EGRP provides a good opportunity residing within countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the for labor migration to be mainstreamed as one of the status of intra-African Nigerian migrants in terms of key strategies to generate employment for Nigerian nature (temporary, circular, or long-term) or motive jobseekers. (business, education, or transit) of migration is hard to assess. Mapping of skills shortages at home and abroad could incentivize demand-driven skills development in Working with ECOWAS, Nigeria can help set up a Nigeria. The private sector in Nigeria is currently unable regional labor migration agency that would allow to absorb all of the growing number of educated youths talented African professionals to find work in West entering the labor force. The tertiary education system is Africa and further afield. Among the benefits that such likely exacerbating this challenge as it is unable to align a regional agency could bring are: enabling systematic its curriculum to meet the global demand for a skilled and safe intra-regional labor mobility through managed workforce. As such, the Federal Ministry of Labor and migration approaches; facilitating labor intermediation Employment (FMLE) can carry out a comprehensive and the certification of skills training and recognition at assessment of skills shortages in key destination markets a regional level; offering social protection services, such to understand the projected labor demand in these as insurance and portability of benefits to migrants; and, countries. The domestic skills development system, facilitating bilateral agreements with countries outside overseen by the National Board of Technical Education Africa. Part 3: Spotlights on Nigeria’s Development Agenda 77 NIGERIA DEVELOPMENT UPDATE DECEMBER 2020 economic-picture-election-day-nears.aspx References [Accessed: November 6, 2020] International Labor Organization (2020). Labor Migration. Available at: https://www.ilo.org/ Afro Barometer. Nigeria Data. 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