Climate change, migration policy: Researchers advocate for collective action

A team of researchers under the Migraware Research Team has emphasized the need for collaboration between government and stakeholders to address the issue of climate change, during a one-day hybrid validation workshop in Abuja.

According to report, climate change has become a pressing concern in Nigeria, particularly in regards to its impact on rural-urban migration.

The researchers, led by Professor Appollonia Okhimamhe, highlighted the importance of integrating scientific research into Nigeria’s migration policies.

This was evident in a communiqué issued after a one-day hybrid validation workshop.

It was reported the that research findings from the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use’s Doctoral Research Programme on Climate Change and Human Habitat (WASCAL DRP on CCHH) and the Department of Geography, Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA) were presented and validated.

According to the communiqué signed by Team Lead Professor Okhimamhe, effective collaboration is essential to translate research findings into robust institutional frameworks, ultimately supporting evidence-based decision-making.

The communiqué stressed that collaboration between government and stakeholders is crucial.

It further highlighted its importance for ensuring that research findings provide a strong foundation for institutional frameworks.

The research findings, which involved collaboration with international institutions, identified significant gaps in Nigeria’s migration policies.

Notably, the absence of recent census data and limited access to migration and spatial information hindered the research.

According to the communiqué, the research findings acknowledged that the lack of recent census data and restricted access to migration and spatial information appreciably held back the research.

It also concerned cooperation with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Germany), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Coknow (Germany), PiSolutions (Germany), the University of Wurzburg (Germany), the University of Cape Coast (Ghana), the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (Ghana), Hen Mpoano (Ghana), and the University of Nazi Boni (Burkina Faso).

To address these challenges, the researchers recommended that the government prioritize a national census.

They suggested that the government invest in capacity-building initiatives focused on migration drivers and methodologies.

The researchers also emphasized the importance of leveraging the outcomes of the WASCAL DRP CCHH-led Migraware project to shape national migration policies, particularly in line with the domestication of the Kampala Declaration.

Need for the Federal Government to corroborate and leverage migration research data.

The researchers emphasized the need for the Federal Government to corroborate and leverage migration research data.

This will enable data-driven policy planning and effective execution as reported.

Furthermore, the researchers urged the Federal Government to validate and apply research data on migration for effective policy planning and implementation.

This call to action was made during a workshop attended by key stakeholders.

The stakeholders included representatives from government agencies, research institutions, and international organizations.

The workshop brought together a diverse range of participants, including delegates from the Federal Ministry of Interior, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Office of the National Coordinator of UNDP’s Global Environment Fund (GEF).

Additional participants included representatives from International Office for Migration (IOM), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), and Women in Environment Programme (WEP).

The Migraware Consortium Project Assistant was represented by the Scientific Coordinator, Prof. Christine Fürst, alongside the Nigerian Migraware Research Team.

Online attendees included representatives from the WASCAL Competence Centre in Ouagadougou, members of the Migraware Consortium from West African institutions (University of Cape Coast, Ghana, and University of Nazi Boni, Burkina Faso), German institutions (Martin Luther University, German Aerospace Centre, and University of Würzburg), and environment and migration enthusiasts from the Old Girls’ Association of the Federal Government Girls College, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

The diverse participation underscored the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing in addressing climate change-induced migration.

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