At the ECOWAS Parliament session on Saturday, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to focus on understanding and addressing the underlying causes of youth migration.
She said that instead of just trying to stop young people from leaving, it is crucial to tackle the reasons driving them away.
Akpoti-Uduaghan highlighted the achievements of Nigerians abroad, such as Silas Adekunle, the world’s highest-paid robotic engineer at age 31, and Abigail Marshall Katung, the Mayor of Leeds, to illustrate that migration can have positive outcomes.
However, she stressed that the context and intent behind migration need careful consideration to create better opportunities within West African countries.
“Today, Nigerians are making our country proud internationally. One example is Silas Adekunle, who at the age of 31 became the world’s highest-paid robotic engineer,” said Akpoti-Uduaghan. “Not long ago, we celebrated Lord Mayor Abigail Marshall Katung, a Nigerian woman who migrated to the UK and grew to become the Mayor of Leeds, the UK’s second-largest city.”
Drawing from her personal experience, she added, “As a mother of eight, I struggle to encourage my children to return to Nigeria and contribute to the development of their home country. This personal experience makes me better understand why millions of young people in Nigeria and West Africa choose to migrate in pursuit of better jobs and financial prospects.”
To address these issues, Akpoti-Uduaghan proposed that ECOWAS should facilitate the transfer of knowledge and opportunities from Africans in the diaspora to their home countries, such as seen in the Ethiopian cotton industry and the Indian technology sector.
She also advocated for strengthening the collective economy by promoting trade among African countries to keep jobs within borders. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of supporting startups by providing access to finance, market access, angel investors, fiscal incentives, and tax waivers, particularly in the tech sector.
“By addressing these issues, ECOWAS can create a more conducive environment for young people to thrive in their home countries, reducing the need for migration,” she said.
