African labour leaders and migration advocates have called on African governments to deepen continental integration, strengthen migrant protection systems and popularise the use of migrant resource centres (MRCs) as part of efforts to address irregular migration, exploitation and xenophobia across Africa.

Speaking at the regional workshop on strengthening coordination and peer exchange among MRCs in Africa held in Abuja, the General Secretary of the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), Joel Odigie, said MRC were established to provide effective support and guidance for African migrants both within and outside the continent.

According to him, the centres can only achieve their objectives when migrants are aware of them and actively utilise their services.

“The whole idea behind the MRC is to provide more effective support to African migrants on the continent and those outside it. They are only effective when migrants themselves use them,” he said.

Odigie urged migrants to take advantage of the centres by seeking information online and engaging with existing support systems. He stressed that the centres were designed to complement government efforts rather than compete with public institutions responsible for citizens’ welfare and protection.

He, however, faulted the low visibility of the centres in Nigeria, noting the absence of public awareness campaigns, advertisements, and billboards explaining their roles and services.

According to him, Nigerians are among the continent’s most adventurous and enterprising people, constantly seeking socioeconomic opportunities across borders, but often face exploitation, discrimination and abuse in the process.

He said better awareness and access to migration information would help reduce the vulnerability of migrant workers to abuse and irregular migration practices.

Beyond migrant resource centres, Odigie called for stronger African integration and a return to Nigeria’s leadership role on the continent.

He argued that Nigeria’s foreign policy focus on Africa had weakened in recent administrations and urged the government to reclaim its “Big Brother” role in promoting regional cooperation and mobility.

Referencing recent visa reforms across Africa, he questioned why Nigeria still maintains restrictive visa policies for Africans while countries such as Togo and Ghana are moving toward visa-free access for African citizens.

According to him, Nigeria should lead by example by abolishing visa requirements for African countries that already offer open access to Africans.

He also called for improvements to Nigeria’s online visa application system, including increased upload bandwidth, lower visa and biometric fees for Africans and broader accessibility for countries such as Ethiopia and Somalia.

Odigie criticised what he described as excessive charges imposed on African travellers and argued that Africa must dismantle barriers that limit trade, cultural exchange, financial circulation and continental integration.

He further linked irregular migration and desperate migration journeys to structural economic problems, including high fuel prices, weak infrastructure, poor electricity supply, rising food costs and limited social protection systems.

According to him, governments must focus on creating prosperity and productive opportunities rather than imposing policies that worsen poverty and discourage business productivity.

He maintained that migrant workers should not be treated as commodities but as citizens whose rights and dignity must be protected.

Drawing comparisons with the Philippines, Odigie said migrant workers could become major contributors to national economic growth if governments establish proper protection systems and supportive migration frameworks.

On xenophobia, he strongly condemned attacks and discrimination against African migrants in countries such as South Africa and Tunisia, describing such actions as unacceptable and dangerous for continental unity.

He argued that migrants contribute significantly to host economies through investments, job creation, trade and cultural exchange, contrary to claims that they take jobs away from locals.