Dr. Chibuzor Onyema, President and CEO of the Blacks Ancestral Native Communities Foundation (BLANC), has announced a partnership with the ECO Centre for Africa, Canada, to combat the growing trend of illegal migration among African youths. Speaking at a recent news conference in Lagos, titled “Defusing a Ticking Time-Bomb,” Onyema emphasized the urgent need to address irregular migration, which threatens to undermine Africa’s development, destabilize nations, and erode societal fabric.
The partnership will convene the Anti-Irregular Migration Summit, featuring keynote speaker Prof. Patrick Lumumba, to discuss actionable strategies for securing a brighter future for Nigeria, its people, and Africa. Onyema warned that unchecked irregular migration poses significant risks, draining human capital, and depriving critical sectors of talent and innovation.
He emphasized the need for African leaders to partner with BLANC in providing skill-based education and creating an environment where youths can thrive within the continent. Onyema urged collective action to defuse the “time bomb” of irregular migration, paving the way for a stable, prosperous, and vibrant Nigeria and Africa.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, approximately 7-8 million illegal African migrants reside in the European Union, highlighting the urgency of the issue.
