Nigeria and Türkiye are deepening their existing partnership on migration, with a renewed focus on ensuring the humane and dignified return and reintegration of undocumented Nigerians who wish to come back home from Türkiye.

The commitment was reaffirmed during a high-level courtesy visit to NiDCOM’s headquarters in Abuja by a delegation from Türkiye’s Presidency of Migration Management, led by the Head of Deportation Department for Removal AffairsHünkar Burkan İbin.

Both sides discussed strengthening cooperation and advancing plans to formalise the process through a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Officials of the Turkish delegation disclosed that consultations were ongoing with relevant Nigerian institutions, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the CLEEN Foundation and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), towards finalising modalities for the programme ahead of the signing of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding.

According to İbin, when irregular migrants are apprehended in Türkiye, they are taken to a holding centre while the Nigerian Government is contacted to facilitate their safe return. He noted, however, that the preferred route is voluntary.

Responding, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, welcomed the delegation and pledged the Commission’s full cooperation. She said NiDCOM would intensify awareness efforts to ensure Nigerians living irregularly and without documentation in Türkiye are informed of the voluntary return programme and encouraged to take advantage of it.