Nigeria is set to deepen labour and migration cooperation with the Philippines in a bid to safeguard workers, curb illegal recruitment, and enhance human resource development.
The partnership was announced on Wednesday in Abuja during a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, and the Philippine Secretary of Migrant Workers, Hans Cacdac.
Cacdac explained that the initiative followed a directive from Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to expand labour relations with countries where Filipinos are employed. He noted that between 4,000 and 6,000 Filipinos currently work in Nigeria, making significant contributions to the local economy.
He added that the Philippines was committed to collaborating with Nigeria’s Ministry of Labour to share expertise on worker protection, capacity building, and the fight against illegal recruitment and human trafficking.
Cacdac further disclosed that the Philippines would establish a Labour Office within its embassy in Abuja, headed by a labour attaché, to work directly with Nigerian labour authorities and provide services to Filipino workers in the country.
In response, Ambassador Tuggar commended the contribution of Filipino workers, particularly in education, aviation, and maritime sectors. He described the partnership as an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s own labour systems.
He linked the initiative to President Bola Tinubu’s “4-D Agenda” – democracy, demography, development, and diaspora – which places strong emphasis on the protection of Nigerian workers abroad.
“With a population of over 230 million, mostly young people, Nigeria seeks to address global shortages of skilled labour. By engaging with the Philippines, we hope to learn from their experience in labour migration management to ensure Nigerian workers abroad are treated with dignity, respect, and adequate protection,” Tuggar said.
