Nigeria and the Republic of the Philippines have renewed their commitment to work together in strengthening labour migration, improving worker protection, and fighting human trafficking. This agreement was reached during a high-level meeting in Abuja between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar and the Philippines’ Secretary of Migrant Workers, Hans Leo Cacdac.
Yusuf Tuggar described the Philippines as a trusted and longstanding partner of Nigeria, recalling the valuable contributions of Filipino professionals to the country’s growth. He noted that since Nigeria’s independence, Filipino experts have played important roles in education, aviation, and the maritime industry. He said many Nigerians of his generation were taught by Filipino teachers, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, helping to build both knowledge and cultural ties between the two nations.
The Minister explained that the discussions were part of President Bola Tinubu’s 4D foreign policy agenda, which focuses on Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora. He expressed Nigeria’s interest in learning from the Philippines’ internationally respected system for managing overseas workers. He also highlighted Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps programme, which sends Nigerian professionals to African, Caribbean, and Pacific nations. Plans are now in place to expand this initiative into a revenue-generating venture while also building new global partnerships.
On his part, Hans Leo Cacdac conveyed the message of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has instructed his team to deepen labour ties with Nigeria. He described Nigeria as a safe destination for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). He revealed that plans are underway to establish a Migrant Workers Office within the Philippine Embassy in Abuja. This office will provide better services to Filipino nationals and strengthen cooperation with Nigerian authorities in labour matters.
Cacdac stated that the main goal of the partnership is to enhance people-to-people connections through institutional cooperation, sharing best practices on labour governance, improving migration management, and advancing efforts to fight human trafficking. He was joined at the meeting by senior Philippine officials, including John Al Rasul, Deputy Minister for International Cooperation, and Juleen Abito, Assistant Secretary for Pre-Employment, among others.
During their talks, both countries discussed a wide range of areas for cooperation, including finalizing bilateral labour agreements, increasing capacity building, and ensuring safer migration routes for their citizens. Tuggar disclosed that nine agreements between the two countries are close to completion, and Cacdac has proposed an additional agreement that will focus entirely on labour relations.
When asked by journalists about the difficulties Nigerians face when seeking jobs abroad, Cacdac stressed the importance of sharing accurate information between both governments. He said this would help speed up visa processes, improve understanding of each country’s labour systems, and reduce bureaucratic delays for overseas employment. He also reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to protecting migrant workers, stating that as a signatory to the UN Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers, the country will continue to safeguard the welfare of all migrant workers at home and abroad.