The increased exodus of Nigerians, primarily skilled workers, has alarmed the Federal Government.

According to Tanko Sununu, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, 1.4 million people departed the nation.

This was said by Sununu on Tuesday in Abuja at the validation of the 2025 policy and its Integrated Implementation Plan.

The Minister promised that the National Migration Policy will be used by the government to buck the trend.

He clarified that the National Migration Policy would increase the knowledge, economic, and health benefits of migration to the nation.

However, Sununu underlined the importance of sound administration in preventing brain drain that may harm the nation.

The Nigerian Population Commission will concur with me that more than 1.4 million Nigerians have left the country as of today, and many of them are highly skilled, the Minister stated.

“Most of the migrants that leave Nigeria are also health workers, and 51% of them have knowledge of tertiary education. Nigeria is experiencing a brain drain as a result of this.

“The problem of brain drain can be resolved with the correct information and policies in place, which will enhance our abilities and encourage brain circulation throughout the nation.

The updated National Migration Policy aims to improve national ownership of migration policy, mainstream international best practices, and fortify institutional coherence.

The strategy will increase the benefits of migration for Nigerians, enhance migrant rights, and help Nigeria greatly in terms of knowledge, the economy, health, and other areas.

The way the policy has been handled has yielded a wealth of information. Nigerians will be aware of the risks associated with irregular migration thanks to the information incorporated into the policy.

“The issue of irregular migration is linked to the insecurity observed in certain regions of the country, so we also need to secure the cooperation of security personnel.”