Over 7,000 Nigerians yet to return from Libya, says NIDCOM

Nigerian authorities have voiced deep concern over the plight of thousands of citizens trapped in Libya, describing the situation as “extremely alarming.”

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chair of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), revealed on Thursday that at least 7,000 Nigerians remain stranded in Libya. She was speaking at the launch of the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Nigeria Strategic Plan (2025–2027) in Abuja, although she did not specify why their repatriation has been delayed.

“It is disturbing that in 2025, people are still embarking on perilous journeys through the desert only to die,” Dabiri-Erewa said, expressing regret over the persistence of irregular migration along dangerous routes. She urged stronger collaboration among stakeholders to address the root causes of migration and to create safer, legal alternatives for young Nigerians seeking work abroad.

At the same event, the IOM underlined Libya’s central role in irregular migration across the Mediterranean, noting that 90% of migrants attempting to reach Italy’s shores depart from Libya.

Since January, almost 14,000 irregular migrants have been intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, according to the IOM. The agency also reported 370 deaths and 300 people missing so far this year along the Central Mediterranean route, widely regarded as the deadliest migration corridor in the world.

The IOM appealed to the international community to expand safe and legal migration pathways, while allocating greater funding to organisations providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable migrants.