Emotions as returnee relives support from ARRIVES Project at IRARA’s dialogue on migration

Emotions ran high on Friday, February 6, 2026, as John,  a returnee from Germany recounted how the ARRIVES Project facilitated his dignified return to Nigeria and supported him to start life on a cheerful note again.

John spoke  during a  dialogue on migration, reintegration and community development organized by the International Returns and Reintegration Assistance (IRARA), in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), and National Orientation Agency (NOA).

The dialogue, held at NECA House, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos State laid emphasis on community engagement, institutional collaboration, and effective linkages between return and reintegration programming and the national migration policy framework.

The hall was held spell bound as John recounted how he left his commercial motorcycling  and barbing business to embark on a perilous trip to Libya through the desert. From Libya, John moved from France and subsequently, “I travelled to Germany.”

Following his status as an undocumented migrant, survival for John became a  huge challenge.

“When someone from Irara reached out to me about coming back to Nigeria, I thought it was a scam. I eventually keyed into it and was assisted home.”

Unlike migrants who are forced to return, John was given  a dignified welcome back to Nigeria. “Irara team came to welcome me. I was accommodated in a hotel. Subsequently, I was assisted to return to my barbing business,” John said.

The mood in the hall was fired up when John’s fiancée came out to attest to the role that the ARRIVES Project played in the life of John.

The participants rose to give a standing ovation to the project, vowing to give necessary support to returnees and never join the section of the society that stigmatizes them.

One of the participants, who is a market leader in Yaba area of Lagos State said “I will take the message to the market to enlighten traders who risk being deceived that it takes a short distance  from Libya to get to Europe.”

Speaking, the  Country Director, IRARA Nigeria, Mr Roland Nwoha said the dialogue “forms part of our collective efforts to strengthen cooperation among institutions and communities, and to ensure that migration and reintegration processes contribute meaningfully to national and local development outcomes. Lagos State, as a major migration hub and economic centre, plays a critical role in shaping migration realities, reintegration pathways, and community-level responses, making this engagement both timely and strategic.”

He noted that the  dialogue was convened under the ARRIVES Project, a reintegration initiative funded by the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), and jointly implemented by IRARA, the International Trade Centre (ITC), and Social Impact (SI), adding that through this partnership, the project supports the sustainable reintegration of Nigerian returnees from Germany by promoting dignified livelihoods and economic self-reliance.

“Under ARRIVES, returnees are supported through wage employment opportunities, entrepreneurship development, vocational pathways, and individualized, tailored coaching. The objective is not only economic reintegration, but social inclusion—ensuring that returnees are empowered to rebuild their lives, contribute productively to their communities, and regain a sense of agency and dignity.”

A central feature of the dialogue was the evidence-informed exchange with ARRIVES participants themselves—men and women who have successfully reintegrated into the Nigerian economy through employment and business creation. “Their lived experiences provide valuable insights into what works, the challenges encountered, and the conditions needed for reintegration to be truly sustainable. These voices are essential to shaping responsive policies, improving referral mechanisms, and strengthening reintegration programming at scale.”

Beyond individual outcomes, the country director said “today’s engagement deepened understanding of migration realities in Nigeria and raise awareness of existing reintegration support frameworks. It also highlights the critical role of institutional actors—government agencies, civil society, the private sector, and community leaders—in improving information dissemination, strengthening community-level engagement, and fostering linkages with diaspora and migrant networks.

“Reintegration cannot succeed in isolation. It requires coordination across institutions, alignment with national migration policy frameworks, and meaningful engagement at the community level. When reintegration is well-linked to local development priorities, it reduces vulnerability, counters misinformation about migration, and transforms return into an opportunity for growth rather than a point of rupture.”

While appreciating IRARA for its continued support towards effective migration governance in Nigeria, the Southwest Zonal Coordinator of NCFRMI, Alex Oturu, said the gathering was both timely and necessary, adding that migration remains a defining issue of our time. “It shapes economies, transforms communities, connects nations, and unfortunately, when poorly managed, exposes our citizens to significant vulnerabilities. As a country of origin, transit and destination, Nigeria understands deeply the complexity of migration dynamics and the responsibility we bear to manage migration in a manner that is humane, orderly and beneficial for all. This outreach event reflects our commitment to community-level engagement. Migration governance cannot exist only at the federal level. It must be rooted in our communities. It must involve local actors, diaspora networks, civil society organisations, and most importantly, migrants themselves.”

On his part, the Deputy Comptroller of Immigration (DCI), Nigeria Immigration Service Lagos State,

Charles Osarenmwinda said a coordinated approach among stakeholders is crucial for improving outcomes for returnees in Nigeria and “strengthening the return migration infrastructure, ultimately fostering a more effective management framework that supports the reintegration of returnees into society.”