Nigeria can reduce irregular migration and protect young people from exploitation by linking skills training to real employment prospects, foreign affairs analyst Chibuzo Onyema said on Monday. He called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant government bodies to create practical systems for addressing irregular migration among Nigerian youths, who are increasingly exposed to predatory agents, fake recruiters and human-trafficking networks.
Onyema said vocational and professional training would have limited impact if it did not lead to decent work, reliable livelihoods or opportunities to earn income. In his view, young Nigerians are less likely to take dangerous irregular routes when they can see a credible connection between acquiring skills and securing sustainable employment.
He therefore urged the government to establish legitimate labour-mobility channels that would allow qualified Nigerians to find verified jobs overseas. Such arrangements, he said, should connect young workers directly with destination countries and reputable employers instead of leaving them to seek opportunities through unregulated intermediaries.
“Governments should create a framework that works directly with destination countries and legitimate employers to confirm jobs and support safe, regular migration,” Onyema said. He added that training programmes should be based on proven labour-market needs, while employers should offer apprenticeships and employment. Governments and destination countries, he said, also need to negotiate bilateral labour pathways to make lawful migration more accessible.
