The United Nations House in Abuja hosted the launch of the Youth Advisory Board on Migration (YABM), a new platform designed to promote youth inclusion in shaping migration policies and programs in Nigeria.

The initiative seeks to empower young Nigerians to engage in dialogue, policy advocacy, program design, and community outreach on migration, reintegration, extremism, and trafficking, with a focus on promoting safe and legal migration.

Speaking at the launch on Monday, Paola Pace, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), urged the new members of the Board to lead by example.

“Let your work demonstrate that when young people are trusted, supported, and included, they deliver transformational change,” she said, while reaffirming the IOM’s commitment to backing the YABM.

Nigeria’s Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, also addressed the gathering, stressing that safe and legal migration has the potential to drive development through remittances, skills, and shared knowledge. He pledged the Ministry’s support in building a future where young Nigerians can thrive at home and, if they choose to migrate, do so legally and with dignity.

This year, the IOM has expanded its efforts to involve youth in migration dialogue. In March, it organized a Youth Dialogue on Safe Migration in Abuja, which brought together young people, government officials, and civil society representatives to share perspectives and propose solutions to irregular migration. The dialogue laid the groundwork for broader initiatives like the YABM, ensuring that youth voices remain central in shaping migration governance.

The launch marks another step in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen youth participation in policy spaces, particularly on issues with far-reaching social and economic consequences.