By Nkechi Eze
The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, has rallied support for the 6th International Conference of the Institute For Development Communication (ISDEVCOM) of the Nasarawa State University (NSUK) with the theme: Japa: Communicating Migration Dispora And Africa’s Development.
The Minister, while playing host to scholars of the Institute and members of the Alumni Association, Tuesday, at the Minsitry’s Headquarters in Abuja, said migration was not a bad thing, however, there was need to encourage legal and safe passage of migrants.
According to Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who is an international expert and thought leader in security, conflict resolution, humanitarian and disaster management, development and migration governance, Nigeria can leverage on labour migration to benefit development of the country copying from countries like Philippines that have benefited through Labour Tax, that would be used for development projects.
“Migration, japa, is not bad. Migration is my area of interest. However, there is a need to structure migration to protect Nigeria’s security and national interest,” she said.
The Minister also noted that Nigeria should be commended for its efforts in evacuating citizens from crisis situations abroad in Sudan, Ukraine, and South Africa despite the challenges faced during such evacuations.
She appealed to parents and guardians to choose the right migration pathways, emphasizing the importance of legal and safe migration to protect national security and interests.
She recalled that as Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons she had advocated for the review of the migration policy to put in place measures and strategies to protect the human, civil and economic rights of Nigerians abroad, as well as use labour migration to benefit development of the country.
The Minister, who applauded the theme of the conference, recalled that at the European Union African Partner Initiative, she discovered that Francophone countries were chairing the steering committee on migration despite the large number of Anglophone countries involved. She made a case for this, and two slots were given to these countries, with Nigeria being one of them to lead the conversation as more people from the Anglophone countries were involved in migration.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim, while pledging her support for the conference commended the delegation on its gender balance, and tasked the scholars and the Institute to amplify the voices of women in its programmes, particularly with the on-going campaign to increase women’s political participation with the 74 seats in Parliament.
According to the Minister, the number was not enough, though it was a good starting point to ensure more women are in politics and governance in the country.
Earlier, Leader of the ISDEVCOM Delegation, Chief Uzoma Onyegbadue, and Registrar of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), commended the minister over the milestone achievements she has made in the minsitry within so short a period.
He congratulated her for being voted as Iconic Female Minister of the Year by Women Recognition Award 2025, noting that she has proved that all responsibilities given to her are things she could do easily.
Chief Onyegbadue said her achievements were no surprise because women are known to bear fruits, and it was based on this confidence that ISEDVCOM was seeking a deep partnership with the Minister and the Ministry.
He informed the Minister that the international conference was one of the avenues that institute contributes to communicating development because the institute deploys a multi-disciplinary approach to address issues of communication.
According to the leader of the delegation, the conference provides a platform for scholars, government and non-governmental organisations as well as other members of the public to deliberate and seek solutions to the worsening trend of illegal migration among Nigerians with the women and children often being the most affected by the situation.
