The Federal Government and relevant stakeholders are formulating a national framework for the international recruitment of Nigerian migrant workers, with the vision of positioning Nigeria as a leading source of ethical, skills-based international labour mobility.

With an implementation roadmap from 2027 to 2031, the new policy seeks to deepen a transparent, accountable and digitally enabled international recruitment system.

With full implementation to begin in 2029 and expected results in 2031, the Federal Government said it aims to achieve 100 per cent digital recruitment licensing, improved protection for migrant workers, an enhanced international reputation for Nigeria, and stronger compliance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards, among others.

Desk Officer, Recruiters License, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Uchenna Williams, disclosed this in Lagos during a stakeholders dialogue on policy and practice of fair recruitment and labour migration governance in Nigeria.

Noting that the implementation would be based on a tripartite approach, she said the proposed national framework seeks to promote fair and ethical recruitment, strengthen labour migration governance, improve international labour mobility opportunities and support national employment and economic development goals.

She said the major activities would be centred on legal reforms, institutional setup, and digital licensing in the first year; year four would be centred on compliance, while evaluation, review, and sustainability planning will commence in year five.

Key actions expected, she said, are to expand awareness campaigns on safe migration pathways, standardise rights-based pre-departure orientation, strengthen grievance and complaint mechanisms, increase trade union engagement with migrant workers and strengthen union-to-union cooperation across countries.

The five strategic pillars of the framework, Williams mentioned, are built around governance and regulatory reform; recruitment agency licensing and compliance; promoting fair business practices and migrant worker protection; and labour market information and skills mobility.

Speaking at the Migrant Recruitment Advisory, Senior Assistant General Secretary and Focal Person on Migration, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Eustance James said Nigeria had approximately 1.4 million international migrants living in the country in 2024, according to data from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

Giving an overview of challenges faced by migrant workers in Nigeria to address collectively, James highlighted discrimination, low wages and exploitation, lack of social access to protection and sexual harassment.

He said low wages and poor salaries are a major concern, impacting the financial stability and quality of life of migrant workers.

According to him, migrant workers frequently face discrimination based on factors such as gender, nationality and language barriers, adding that the pervasive issue adversely affects their well-being and work experiences.