The newly appointed Chairman of the Rabat Process Steering Committee and Federal Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, has pledged to promote sustainable migration policies, strengthen regional cooperation, empower youth, and leverage innovation to drive positive migration outcomes.

The Rabat Process, formally known as the Euro-African Dialogue on Migration and Development, is a regional migration platform established in 2006 to facilitate consultation and coordination between European and African countries. It focuses on operationalising initiatives and fostering partnerships to address migration challenges effectively.

The Rabat Process Steering Committee comprises 16 member countries – Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Last week, Nigeria hosted its first Steering Committee meeting under its chairmanship following the official handover from Portugal in January 2025 during the Senior Officials Meeting in Porto, Portugal.

The chairmanship alternates annually between African and European partner countries, ensuring balanced governance and shared responsibility in migration management.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja, Ahmed assured that under Nigeria’s leadership, the committee would prioritise advancing sustainable migration policies and enhancing regional cooperation.

“Nigeria’s leadership aims to enhance cooperation between African and European partners to address pressing migration challenges while promoting opportunities for youth, diaspora engagement, and regular migration pathways,” he said.

According to Ahmed, Nigeria’s leadership would advocate for safe, legal, and beneficial migration pathways, particularly focusing on youth and innovation.

Additionally, the country’s leadership would tackle challenges such as missing migrants, climate-induced displacement, and human trafficking, while ensuring sustainable reintegration of returnees.