Nigeria, Philippines Strengthen Ties on Labour Migration 

By Lizzy Chirkpi

Nigeria and the Republic of the Philippines have agreed to support partnerships in labour migration, worker protection, and the fight against human trafficking.

This commitment was made during a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and Hans Leo Cacdac, the Philippines’ Secretary of Migrant Workers.

Tuggar described the Philippines as a “longstanding friend” of Nigeria, recalling the positive impact of Filipino professionals, particularly in the fields of education, aviation, and maritime industries, since Nigeria’s independence.

“Many Nigerians of my generation were taught by Filipino teachers, particularly in STEM fields. These ties extend beyond knowledge-sharing; they help build cultural bridges,” he said.

The Foreign Minister noted that the meeting aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s 4D foreign policy agenda Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora and emphasized Nigeria’s interest in learning from the Philippines’ globally recognized system for managing overseas workers.

Tuggar also cited Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps (TAC) programme, which deploys Nigerian professionals to African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations, saying there are plans to evolve it into a revenue-generating venture while expanding global partnerships.

On his part, Cacdac relayed Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to deepen labour ties with Nigeria, describing the West African nation as a “safe haven” for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

He revealed that plans are underway to open a Migrant Workers Office within the Philippine Embassy in Abuja to enhance services for Filipino nationals and strengthen cooperation with Nigerian authorities.

“Our goal is to strengthen people-to-people ties through institutional cooperation, sharing best practices on labour governance, migration management, and anti-trafficking efforts,” Cacdac said.

Cacdac was accompanied by a senior delegation including John Al Rasul, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation; Juleen Abito, Assistant Secretary for Pre-Employment; and Giant Mendez, Director for Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Human Trafficking, along with staff from the Philippine Embassy.

During their discussions, both countries explored a wide range of issues such as formalizing bilateral labour agreements, capacity building, and ensuring safer migration pathways for their citizens.

Tuggar also disclosed that nine pending agreements between the two nations are close to being finalized, with a tenth agreement proposed by Cacdac dedicated entirely to labour relations.

In response to questions from journalists about challenges Nigerians face when seeking employment abroad, Cacdac emphasized the importance of mutual information exchange to streamline visa processes and enhance understanding of each other’s labour systems.

“We are committed to reducing bureaucratic hurdles for overseas employment. As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers, we uphold the welfare of all migrant workers, whether in the Philippines or abroad,” he stated.