Unravelling the Nigerian irregular migration quandary to southern Europe in the twenty- first century

Introduction

Almost 89 per cent of international migrants in sub- Saharan Africa originate from countries within the same region. In spite of this reality, there has been a steady increase in irregular migration from Africa to Europe within the last decade. It is within this context that there has been an upsurge in Nigerian irregular migration stemming from the determination of these migrants to pay any price necessary in their quest for a better life in Europe. The airwaves are constantly filled with daily news of irregular migrants drowning in their numbers in the Mediterranean Sea in their bid to cross into Europe. Despite the intervention measures taken by the local and international community both in the countries of origin and destination, irregular migration continues to be on the rise especially among Nigerians and the Bini people. This raises the questions: what factors have contributed to the increase in irregular migration in the twenty- first century? Why do Nigerian young men and women continue to risk their lives to cross to Italy via the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea?

Migration is a global phenomenon caused by the desire of migrants to move from their places of abode in search for better economic prospects. Since the beginning of history, migration has been used as an essential adaptation mechanism by humans to evade risks and access opportunities. According to UN DESA (2019), 3.5 per cent, that is almost 272 million individuals out of the world’s population of 7.7 billion, reside in counties other than where they were born, with Europe hosting the largest number of international migrants worldwide.

Irregular migration can be defined as any movement that takes place outside the regulatory standards of the sending, transit or receiving country and can be used to refer to three groups of migrants: those who arrive in a clandestine fashion; those who arrive regularly and then overstay the period for which their visa/ permits are valid and asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected and who have not left the country as required. The increase in irregular migration in the twenty- first century can be attributed to four major factors: globalisation; the Arab spring; immigration regulations and the African porous borders.

A brief overview of irregular migration in Nigeria

Nigeria is a country in West Africa and is the most populous nation in Sub- Saharan Africa with a population of over 206 million as at May 2020. Nigeria plays a major role in African migration and has been actively involved in both intra- African and international migration since the pre-colonial era wherein migration was linked to warfare and slave trade. During the colonial period, Nigerians’ inter-Africa migratory journey was largely driven by the pursuit for higher education and labour in the United Kingdom. In the post- independence period, while a huge proportion of Nigerians still travelled abroad for higher education, an increasing number of them migrated abroad for economic reasons.

During the 1970s, the oil boom and rising incomes also made Nigeria a destination country for West African labour migrants. However, the decrease in oil prices, economic decline and political repression led to a downturn in migratory flow to Nigeria. Hence, in the post-1980s, Nigeria experienced a reverse migration shift, changing itself from an immigration country to an emigration country as a large number of Nigerians emigrated to other African countries like Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Botswana and South Africa. Nigerians also migrated to other countries in the Global North such as United Kingdom, the United States of America, Spain, Italy etc. In the 1990s, Italy, Ireland and Spain became the dominant destination countries for most West African and Nigerian migrants. However, the increase in visa and immigration restriction policy in Europe and North America altered the regular migratory flow, driving low- skilled Nigerian and African migrants to migrate via the irregular route through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea.

In recent times, Nigerians make up one of the largest population of migrants from Africa to countries in the Global North, including Italy and also acts as a source, transit and destination country especially when it comes to irregular migration, particularly human trafficking and smuggling. There are three main migratory paths that criss-cross the Mediterranean Sea from Africa to Europe: the Eastern Mediterranean (into Greece), the Western Mediterranean (into Spain) and the Central Mediterranean (into Malta and Italy). The overwhelming majority of these trafficked victims and irregular migrants make their journey through the overland routes from Edo state (particularly Benin City) and Delta state to Kano before they are smuggled to Agadez in Niger Republic or Algeria and through the Sahara Desert to Libya and to Italy via the Central Mediterranean route. Since 2014, over 600,000 African migrants have arrived in Italy via the dangerous Central Mediterranean route, with nearly 120,000 arrivals in 2017.

The Push-Pull Drivers of Irregular Migration in Nigeria

Whether regular or irregular, migration is often driven by a number of factors, which have been described by migration theorists as the Push-Pull factors. The push factors that spur irregular migration are those circumstances or factors at home that force people to leave. They include but are not limited to perceived human rights violation, harsh economic reality, scarce employment opportunities, insecurity, conflict, government organization brutality (e.g. SARS and their abuse of young men and women), restrictive migration policies, poverty, structural inequality, etc. The pull factors on the other hand are factors elsewhere that attract migrants. They include Europe’s close proximity to the coast of North Africa, cultural expectations of Europe as a “Promised Land” and materialism, security, better education and healthcare facilities, political and social freedom, better condition and standard of living, improved working conditions etc.

Consequences of Irregular Migration

International migrations have a significant impact on local livelihoods and international economies largely through remittances sent back home. When properly managed with appropriate policies, migration has the capacity to contribute positively to inclusive growth and sustainable development in both the countries of origin and destination. Despite the positive benefits of migration, irregular migration has several negative implications on both the migrants and the countries of origin, transit and destination. The activities of irregular migrants have also had negative consequences on the economy, human resource and capacity development (brain-drain) of the country of origin especially due to the reduction in the youth population since they constitute the majority of those being trafficked. It has also impacted the mortality rate of the population due to the high rate of Nigerian population lost in sea or dead during trafficking. The activities of some irregular migrants can also lead to strained relationship with receiving countries, which may affect the regularisation of visas for Nigerians in the EU and may also make it difficult for intending migrants to secure visa for legal entry into the EU.

Response mechanisms to irregular migration in Benin City

As a result of the human development consequences of irregular migration, several legislative frameworks and policy measures have been put in place worldwide to curb irregular migratory flow. For example, four of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- SDG 5 on Gender Equality, 8 on Decent Work, 10 on Reduced Inequalities and SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions are of particular relevance in the endeavour to prevent and combat all forms of irregular migration. To reduce the flow of forced migration and human trafficking, the Nigerian National Assembly enacted the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act in July 2003. The Nigerian Trafficking Act updated in 2005 established the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) in 2005 to combat human trafficking. In 2015, the Nigerian government also enacted into law the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Migration has become one of the most significant social developments in contemporary societies. Migration however constitutes an inherent aspect of human social existence because, throughout history, several political, socio-economic and cultural factors have influenced a person’s decision to engage in international migration. Globally, the high levels of risk, insecurity, vulnerability and poverty associated with irregular migration have however made the topic a source of concern to the local and international community.

On a daily basis, several Nigerian migrants, men, women and children inclusive are caught up in irregular migratory practices. This is largely because restrictive immigration policies have made it difficult for migrants to get access to visa which has in turn increase the desperation of these groups of potential migrants to follow the illegal routes that often entails trafficking and smuggling. However, these strict migration policies, border control and the tragedies associated with irregular migration have not deterred these young men and women from embarking on this perilous journey.

Irregular migration of Nigerians to Italy is tied to their quest for survival and better lives from them and their family, which they feel is attainable once they make their way to Italy and Europe. To reduce irregular migration, we recommend that there should be more coordinated and collaborated effort between the government and members of the civil society in curbing irregular migration, particularly human trafficking and smuggling. Furthermore, the Nigerian government should try and create an enabling environment that young people will find attractive in terms of better education and employment opportunities. In addition, the Nigerian media should try and sensitize youth on the harsh realities facing illegal migrants in Italy.

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Effevottu, E.S. (2021). Unravelling the Nigerian irregular migration quandary to Southern Europe in the twenty-first century. In I. Moyo., J.P. Laine and C.C. Nshimbi. (Eds). Intra-African Migrations: Reimaging Borders and Migration Management. United Kingdom: Routledge. Available at: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003091721-5/unravelling-nigerian-irregular-migration-quandary-southern-europe-twenty-first-century-efetobor-stephanie-effevottu