By Iroyin Yoruba Television
The African Diaspora Union has called on African governments to adopt a coordinated approach to migration and Afrophobia as stakeholders prepare for a high-level dialogue on the effect of migration on African citizens in Abuja.
The organisation made the call during a press conference in Abuja on October 2, 2026, where it announced plans for a High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Migration in Africa scheduled for October 5.
The meeting is expected to bring migration-related concerns into focus, including the dangers faced by Africans travelling through irregular routes, exposure to human traffickers, attacks against African migrants and the economic conditions that encourage people to leave their countries in search of opportunities.
AFRIDU President, Professor Chidiebere Anelechi, said migration should not be treated exclusively as a border-control or law-enforcement issue. He argued that the continent needs a broader approach that considers economic opportunities, protection, human dignity and accountability for the treatment of African migrants.
According to the organisation, the forthcoming dialogue will examine the human consequences of migration while providing a platform for African countries and other stakeholders to discuss possible responses.
The announcement comes at a time when migration continues to affect millions of Africans moving within the continent and beyond. Africans migrate for different reasons, including employment, education, family reunification, insecurity, economic pressure and the search for better living conditions.
For some migrants, movement takes place through established legal channels. Others attempt journeys through irregular routes, exposing themselves to trafficking networks, exploitation, detention and dangerous travel conditions.
AFRIDU said the risks associated with irregular migration require greater attention from governments and institutions across Africa.
Anelechi specifically referred to Africans who attempt dangerous crossings through deserts and the Mediterranean Sea. He said thousands of people continue to risk their lives on such journeys, often travelling in circumstances where they can become vulnerable to traffickers and other forms of exploitation.
The organisation's planned Abuja dialogue is therefore intended to look beyond the movement of people itself and examine the circumstances that influence migration decisions.
One issue expected to receive attention is the economic pressure that can influence young Africans to seek opportunities outside their countries.
Professor Abduljalil Tafawa Balewa, AFRIDU's Special Envoy to Nigeria and Chairman of its Nigeria Governing Council, said African leaders need to address the economic factors that encourage young people to leave.
He called for greater efforts to create employment opportunities across the continent, arguing that sustainable economic opportunities could form part of a long-term response to migration pressures.
The employment dimension is significant because migration can have different consequences for both countries of origin and destination.
Young people who leave Nigeria and other African countries can acquire new skills, gain international experience and contribute to economies abroad. At the same time, countries of origin can lose skilled workers when large numbers of professionals establish their careers elsewhere.
Migrants can also contribute to their home economies through remittances, investment, knowledge transfer and business relationships.
The migration debate therefore extends beyond questions about whether people should leave or remain in their countries. It also involves how governments can create systems that allow people to move safely and legally while ensuring that migration contributes to development.
AFRIDU's proposed dialogue is expected to examine some of these issues.
Another concern raised during the Abuja press conference was Afrophobia, particularly the treatment of Africans living in other African countries.
Anelechi questioned who should protect Africans when they become targets of attacks because of their nationality or perceived foreign status. He also raised concerns about situations in which African-owned businesses are destroyed or foreign nationals face intimidation or violence.
The issue has implications for Nigerians living elsewhere on the continent because Nigeria has one of Africa's largest diaspora communities.
Nigerians live, work and operate businesses in several African countries, including South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Cameroon and other destinations. Their experiences vary widely, with many building businesses and professional careers while maintaining economic and family links with Nigeria.
At the same time, incidents involving attacks on foreign nationals have periodically created concerns about the safety of migrants in different African countries.
AFRIDU argued that such incidents should not be treated only as isolated domestic matters when they involve broader questions about the treatment of African citizens across national borders.
The organisation proposed consideration of a continental monitoring and accountability mechanism through the African Union. Such a mechanism, if adopted, could potentially track serious incidents involving African migrants, government responses, prosecutions and progress in addressing attacks.
AFRIDU presented this as part of the broader conversation it wants African leaders to have about migration.
The proposal remains an organisational call rather than an established continental policy. No African Union-wide mechanism of this specific nature was announced as a result of the October 2 press conference.
The forthcoming dialogue is also expected to examine the relationship between migration and human trafficking.
People travelling through irregular routes can be exposed to criminal networks that promise transportation, employment or entry into another country. Some migrants can subsequently face exploitation, forced labour, extortion or other abuses.
The dangers can become particularly severe when migrants lack reliable information about travel routes or legal entry requirements.
A more coordinated approach to migration could therefore involve strengthening information available to prospective migrants, expanding legal migration pathways, improving border management and increasing cooperation between countries against trafficking networks.
The planned Abuja meeting also reflects the growing role of civil society and diaspora organisations in migration discussions.
Governments traditionally play a central role in border control, visas, passports, residence permits and the return or reintegration of migrants. International organisations and civil society groups, however, are also involved in research, humanitarian assistance, anti-trafficking programmes, migrant protection and community support.
AFRIDU said its planned meeting would seek to bring different stakeholders together to discuss the wider effects of migration.
The organisation said the October 5 event would focus on the theme "Effect of Migration on the African Citizens."
The choice of theme reflects an attempt to place citizens and their experiences at the centre of migration discussions.
Migration statistics often focus on numbers of people crossing borders, asylum applications, deportations, work permits or remittances. AFRIDU said policymakers should also consider the human stories behind those figures.
Anelechi described migrants as including parents, children, students, professionals, farmers, entrepreneurs and others pursuing different aspirations.
That perspective is relevant to Nigeria because Nigerians who migrate are not a single group with identical motivations or experiences.
Some leave for university education and later return. Others move for employment and establish permanent residence abroad. Some travel temporarily for business or professional assignments, while others seek protection from insecurity or other difficult circumstances.
There are also Nigerians who move to other African countries rather than outside the continent.
The policy response to these different forms of movement can therefore require different approaches.
For people travelling legally, the availability of transparent visa procedures and recognised migration pathways can reduce reliance on intermediaries and irregular channels.
For people who return after living abroad, reintegration programmes can help them use skills and experience gained overseas.
For victims of trafficking, protection and access to legal and social services can be important.
For communities hosting migrants, policies addressing discrimination and social tension can help reduce conflict.
The forthcoming Abuja dialogue is expected to provide a forum for examining these interconnected issues.
AFRIDU also highlighted the need for stronger continental cooperation.
African countries have different immigration laws, economic conditions and border-management systems. People can move between neighbouring countries for trade, employment, education and family reasons, making cooperation important for managing cross-border movement.
At the same time, governments have responsibilities to maintain border security and enforce immigration laws.
The challenge is therefore how to balance lawful border management with safe and orderly migration and protection for people who are vulnerable.
The October 5 dialogue could contribute to that discussion by bringing together different perspectives on the causes and consequences of migration.
AFRIDU also referred to the experience of Nigerians and other Africans affected by attacks in South Africa and the efforts that followed to evacuate citizens to safety.
The organisation commended the Nigerian Government and Nigerian diplomatic missions in South Africa for their roles in assisting citizens during the recent period of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
It also recognised support from other African governments, state governors, businesses and community organisations involved in assistance to affected Nigerians.
Among the organisations it mentioned were the Nigerian Citizens Association South Africa, Nigeria Union South Africa, Christian Association of Nigeria South Africa and the Igbo Lawyers Association.
These organisations, according to AFRIDU, provided various forms of support, including legal assistance, shelter and airlift support.
The reference to these experiences illustrates another aspect of migration policy: emergency protection for citizens abroad.
Consular assistance can become particularly important when migrants are affected by violence, civil unrest, natural disasters or other emergencies.
For Nigeria, diplomatic missions abroad can serve as an important link between citizens and the government when such situations arise.
AFRIDU said the lessons from these experiences should form part of a wider discussion about how African countries protect their citizens living outside their home countries.
The organisation also questioned whether African governments should establish stronger continental mechanisms for responding to Afrophobia.
That proposal is part of the agenda AFRIDU wants to place before stakeholders, rather than an existing continental policy.
The October 5 dialogue is expected to give participating organisations an opportunity to discuss possible approaches and recommendations.
The meeting could also bring migration and economic development into the same conversation.
For many African countries, migration is closely connected to employment, education and economic opportunity. Improving domestic opportunities does not necessarily eliminate migration, but it can affect whether people feel compelled to undertake dangerous or irregular journeys.
Balewa therefore called on African leaders to focus on employment creation and opportunities for young people.
His position places youth employment at the centre of the migration discussion, particularly because young Africans make up a significant share of people seeking opportunities beyond their immediate communities.
Nigeria's large and youthful population makes the issue particularly relevant to national migration policy.
Creating opportunities at home can also allow Nigerians who wish to remain in the country to pursue careers without being forced to consider risky migration routes.
At the same time, safe and legal international mobility remains an important option for Nigerians seeking education, employment, family reunification or other legitimate opportunities abroad.
A balanced migration framework would therefore need to consider both domestic development and lawful international mobility.
AFRIDU said its proposed dialogue would not simply focus on migration as a security issue but would examine the economic, social and humanitarian dimensions of the phenomenon.
The organisation's call comes as Nigeria continues to engage with international partners on migration management, including issues involving border security, legal mobility, return and reintegration.
The October 5 meeting is expected to add another civil-society perspective to those discussions.
Whether the dialogue results in specific policy proposals will depend on the recommendations emerging from the meeting and the response of participating governments and institutions.
For now, AFRIDU's October 2 announcement has placed migration and Afrophobia on the agenda for the Abuja meeting.
The organisation wants African governments to examine why citizens undertake dangerous journeys, what exposes migrants to trafficking and exploitation, how African migrants are treated in other countries and what mechanisms could improve accountability when citizens are attacked or their businesses are destroyed.
It also wants employment and economic opportunity to be treated as part of the migration conversation.
The High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Migration in Africa is scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, in Abuja.
The discussions are expected to bring together stakeholders interested in migration, development, human rights, diaspora affairs and the protection of African citizens.
For Nigeria, the meeting provides another platform for discussion of issues affecting Nigerians who move within Africa and beyond, while also examining the circumstances that influence migration decisions at home.
The central question raised by AFRIDU is how African countries can manage migration in a way that protects citizens, addresses the economic factors behind risky journeys, strengthens cooperation against trafficking and responds more effectively when African migrants face discrimination or violence abroad.
Those issues will be among the subjects to watch as stakeholders gather in Abuja for the October 5 dialogue.