60,000 Nigerians Stranded In West/Central Africa Have Returned Home

Over 60,000 Nigerians stranded on migration routes across West and Central Africa have safely returned home with the support of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) since 2017.

Many of whom are now rebuilding their lives with targeted reintegration support, the IOM said.

This was disclosed in a statement issued yesterday by the IOM Office in Abuja, stressing that the homecoming of 181 Nigerians from Libya on March 10, 2026, marked a critical milestone.

The organisation added that it was a testament to the commitment of IOM, the government of Nigeria, the European Union (EU) and EU-member States, to people-centered migrant assistance and protection.

“For many, the journey home marks the end of exploitation, abuse and dangerous migration conditions, and the beginning of a structured process to recover their stability, independence and dignity. To date, more than 38, 000 returnees have received reintegration support, including vocational training, business start-up assistance, education opportunities and psychosocial care,” IOM said.

“Return is not the end of the story,” said Sharon Dimanche, IOM chief of mission to Nigeria. “It is an opportunity, and with the right support, returnees do not merely recover, they rebuild, they contribute, they grow. Reintegration, when it works, is development. It is how communities become stronger, one life at a time,” he said.

In 2025 alone, 14,787 Nigerians returned home safely, while more than 2,500 migrants have been supported in 2026, reflecting the continued need for route-based approaches that ensure migrants’ access to protection services, safe return options and reintegration assistance.

Many of those supported are survivors of trafficking, exploitation, or severe abuse along migration routes. Upon their return, they receive specialised case-managed support including medical care, trauma counselling, temporary shelter where needed, protection services, legal assistance, and referrals to justice and social welfare systems, alongside tailored reintegration support designed to address their specific vulnerabilities and help them safely rebuild their lives.