The Federal Government, through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), has revealed that over 250,000 Nigerian nationals are currently taking refuge in various countries around the world, including Libya, South Sudan, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
Conversely, Nigeria is hosting no fewer than 135,000 refugees from different countries, according to the Commission.
The Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, Tijani Ahmed, disclosed these figures on Wednesday during a road walk in Abuja to commemorate the 2025 World Refugee Day.
“We have a lot of refugees in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. In Nigeria today, we are hosting no less than 135,000 refugees,” he said.
“We also have no less than 250,000 Nigerian refugees living in other parts of the world. Particularly, we have no less than 125,000 Nigerians living in Cameroon. We also have Nigerians in Chad, Niger, South Sudan, Libya, and other parts of the world,” Ahmed added.
Speaking further, he noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has continued to support the Commission’s mandate and is committed to expanding assistance to refugees, migrants, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
He also addressed growing concerns over the potential deportation of some Nigerian migrants from the United States, stating that the Federal Government has taken proactive steps in anticipation of such developments.
“As far as we are concerned, it is a policy statement. However, Nigeria has been very proactive, and we have constituted a committee to look into it in case it becomes a reality. We are ready to receive our people and provide them with the kind of livelihood and support they deserve,” he said.
“The Nigerian government is ready for that. The Nigerian government has already constituted a committee and is awaiting any action that might come from the U.S. So, there is no cause for alarm,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, a Senior Humanitarian Officer at the ECOWAS Commission, Alozie Godfrey, highlighted the regional body’s ongoing support for displaced persons across West Africa.
According to him, the ECOWAS Commission allocated $9 million in 2024 to assist refugees and other persons of concern in all 15 member states, with Nigeria receiving a significant portion of the funds.
“Last year, we basically assisted refugees in all ECOWAS 15 member states, and all their persons of concern, to the tune of about $9 million. The government of Nigeria got about $1.7 million of this money,” Godfrey said.
He assured that the Commission would continue to support displaced persons in Nigeria and the region, despite financial constraints.
“This year, we are also working to assist refugees and internally displaced persons all around West Africa, and particularly in Nigeria, where we have our headquarters, to make sure that refugees are given the rights they are supposed to get, and make sure that we also assist them,” he added.
“ECOWAS Commission remains concerned with issues of refugees, and we will continue to work hand in glove with our partners to make sure that we assist them to the best of our ability, given the lean resources that we have,” he concluded.
