More than 3.7 million people in Nigeria are currently displaced due to conflict, violence, and climate-related shocks, including flooding and environmental pressures, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said.
Sharon Dimanche, IOM’s Chief of Mission in Nigeria, made the disclosure while delivering a goodwill message at the First Edo State Humanitarian Summit in Benin City. She emphasised that humanitarian response must go beyond emergency relief to restoring hope, opportunity, and dignity for affected families.
According to Dimanche, IOM’s efforts in Nigeria are guided by three main priorities: saving lives and protecting displaced populations, driving durable solutions to displacement, and facilitating safe, orderly, and regular migration. The organisation provides life-saving assistance, protection, and pathways to recovery for vulnerable populations.
Highlighting Edo State’s role in Nigeria’s migration landscape, Dimanche noted that IOM has partnered with the state government since 2017. Through this collaboration, over 9,000 migrants from Edo State have safely returned home, more than 8,000 people have received reintegration support, and over 1,100 victims of human trafficking have been assisted with protection, counselling, and recovery programs.
The organisation also operates Migration Information and Job Centres across the state, providing youth with guidance on safe migration, skills development, and employment opportunities. Awareness campaigns on safe migration have reached over three million people, helping communities understand migration risks and opportunities.
Dimanche stressed that addressing displacement and vulnerability requires sustained collaboration among governments, UN agencies, development partners, civil society, and the private sector. She reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to continue supporting Edo State in strengthening humanitarian systems, building resilient communities, and making migration a pathway to development rather than risk.
