Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Turkish government has introduced a support programme to assist irregular Nigerian migrants who wish to voluntarily return to their country, offering a dignified alternative to forced deportation. The proposal was unveiled during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, between a delegation from Türkiye’s Presidency of Migration Management and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), as both countries work towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on voluntary return and reintegration.
Leading the Turkish delegation, Hünkar Burkan İbin, Head of the Deportation Department for Removal Affairs, said the initiative reflects Ankara’s commitment to a more humane and sustainable approach to managing irregular migration. He stated: “We prefer voluntary return,” describing Türkiye’s National Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (NAVRR) Mechanism. “We are willing to sign an MoU between Nigeria and Turkiye regarding voluntary return and reintegration of Nigerian citizens in Turkiye. We are willing to support those Nigerians who want to return voluntarily from Turkiye to Nigeria”.
Under the proposed arrangement, undocumented migrants apprehended by Turkish authorities are currently placed in removal or administrative detention centres, where travel documents are obtained through the Nigerian Embassy before deportation procedures are carried out. However, migrants who choose voluntary return would have access to reintegration assistance that would not be available to those removed through deportation. İbin explained that migrants who apply to return are assigned an individual return counsellor who identifies the assistance they need—financial, in-kind, or otherwise. The programme will provide counselling, skills assessments, and tailored assistance to help returnees become self-sufficient and reintegrate successfully into their communities. Participants would undergo assessments to determine the type of support best suited to their background and economic activities, with the objective of ensuring they are equipped to successfully reintegrate into Nigeria’s socio-economic environment.
İbin noted that the type of assistance will be determined in consultation with Nigerian authorities, in accordance with the Nigerian economy and needs. However, he clarified that individuals with criminal records or involvement in terrorist organisations are exempted from the initiative. Those who refuse the voluntary option and are forcibly removed lose the chance to receive reintegration assistance.
The Turkish delegation also revealed that there are about 2,600 Nigerian students among approximately 350,000 international students in Türkiye—a figure İbin said must grow. He added that future steps would be taken to expand legal migration pathways and approve more work permits, though irregular migration must first be brought under control. The number of irregular Nigerian migrants in Türkiye has reduced significantly from about 9,000 to fewer than 5,000, following improved cooperation between both countries.
The Turkish delegation has held consultations with key 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, to finalise modalities ahead of the proposed MoU. İbin said the draft MoU has already been shared with the Nigerian government.
NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, welcomed the initiative and pledged the Commission’s full cooperation. She said NiDCOM would intensify awareness campaigns to ensure Nigerians living irregularly in Türkiye are informed of the voluntary return programme and encouraged to take advantage of it. “NiDCOM will serve as one of the bridges to ensure that what is promised to Nigerians by the Turkish government is fulfilled,” she said, urging undocumented Nigerians to embrace the initiative once it becomes operational. Dabiri-Erewa noted that Türkiye occupies a unique place in Nigeria’s diaspora engagement, recalling that the first bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on diaspora matters signed by Nigeria was with Türkiye. She reiterated Nigeria’s opposition to irregular migration, warning that migration policies across the world are becoming increasingly stringent, making undocumented migration more difficult and risky. Once operational, the programme is expected to provide undocumented Nigerian migrants in Türkiye with a safer and more dignified pathway home while strengthening bilateral cooperation on migration governance.
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