New migration data highlights the continuing risks faced by Nigerians using Niger as a transit route towards Libya, Algeria and Europe

At least 1,429 Nigerians were repatriated from Niger Republic in May 2026, according to the latest data from the Mixed Migration Centre, highlighting the continuing dangers faced by citizens attempting irregular journeys through the Sahel towards North Africa and Europe.

Also read: Over 13,600 Nigerians repatriated in alarming three years

The figure, contained in the organisation’s Quarterly Mixed Migration Update for West Africa, Quarter 2 2026, reflects the persistent movement of Nigerians through Niger, a major transit corridor for migrants seeking to reach Libya and Algeria before attempting onward journeys to Europe.

The latest data come against the backdrop of Nigeria’s continuing migration wave, commonly described as “japa”, with economic pressures and the search for better opportunities prompting many citizens to seek destinations abroad through both regular and irregular channels.

The Mixed Migration Centre cited a May report by Saturday PUNCH in which the Nigeria Immigration Service confirmed the arrival of at least 1,100 Nigerians who had travelled by road from Niger Republic on May 22.

Two days later, the National Emergency Management Agency received another 329 returnees from Agadez, Niger’s major desert transit hub, bringing the number of Nigerians repatriated from Niger during the period to more than 1,400.

The Geneva-based research organisation, which is affiliated with the Danish Refugee Council, said the large-scale returns highlighted the continued presence of stranded migrants in Niger, many of whom face prolonged stays in International Organization for Migration centres or urban areas with limited resources.

Agadez, located about 950 kilometres north-east of Niger’s capital, Niamey, has for more than a decade served as a key staging point for West Africans attempting to cross the Sahara towards Libya or Algeria.

From there, many migrants hope to continue towards the Mediterranean, often with the ultimate aim of reaching countries such as Italy or Spain.

The journey is notoriously perilous, with migrants exposed to extreme desert conditions, exploitation by criminal networks, detention and other forms of abuse.

The report showed that Nigerians remained among the nationalities attempting to use the Central Mediterranean Route to Italy.

As of May 2026, 163 Nigerians had arrived in Italy through the route, making them the second-highest West African nationality recorded after Mali, with 193 arrivals.

The figure represented a decline from the 196 Nigerian arrivals recorded over the same period in 2025, although the continuing movement indicates that the route remains active.

Nigerians were also reportedly caught up in a separate expulsion pattern involving Algeria and Niger.

Citing Alarm Phone Sahara, a Sahel-based migrant rights network, the report said at least 14,602 people were expelled from Algeria into Niger between January 18 and May 17, 2026.

That figure represented 43 per cent of the 34,000 expulsions reportedly recorded throughout 2025.

Although many of those officially returned in organised convoys were Nigerien nationals, the report noted that increasing numbers of non-Nigeriens had also been affected.

The nationalities reportedly included citizens of Mali, Guinea, Nigeria, Sudan and Chad.

The situation has left some migrants trapped in a harrowing cycle of movement between borders.

According to the report, migrants expelled from Algeria into Niger have, on some occasions, subsequently been pushed back across the border into Algeria by Nigerien police.

The resulting cycle of expulsion and re-expulsion has reportedly left affected migrants, including Nigerians, stranded in prolonged uncertainty along the border areas.

The broader regional figures also point to a changing migration landscape.

Spain recorded 12,138 irregular arrivals by land and sea as of June 30, 2026, representing a 33 per cent decline compared with the same period in 2025.

The reduction was driven largely by a 67 per cent fall in crossings along the Atlantic Route to the Canary Islands.

However, the Mixed Migration Centre cautioned against interpreting declining arrival figures as evidence that fewer people were attempting dangerous crossings.

The organisation noted that recorded deaths and disappearances along the same route fell by only 16 per cent, significantly less than the decline in arrivals.

The discrepancy suggests that the dangers associated with irregular migration remain severe, even when fewer people are successfully reaching their destinations.

Niger’s role as a major migration corridor has deep historical roots, but the route became increasingly prominent after the collapse of Muammar Gaddafi’s government in Libya in 2011, which contributed to the emergence of new smuggling networks and northbound routes.

Agadez subsequently became a crucial stopover for migrants crossing hundreds of kilometres of desert towards Libya and Algeria.

In 2015, Niger passed legislation criminalising migrant smuggling after coming under pressure from the European Union.

The measure reduced visible migration activity through Agadez for a period, but rights groups argued that it also pushed migrants and smugglers towards more remote and dangerous routes.

Niger’s military government, which came to power following the 2023 coup, later repealed the anti-smuggling law.

The decision was welcomed by some local interests but raised concerns among rights organisations and European partners about the possible expansion of irregular migration routes through the country.

For Nigerians, the country’s geographical position and longstanding regional mobility arrangements make Niger an accessible first stage of a potentially much longer journey.

Under the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Nigerian citizens can travel to Niger without a visa for up to 90 days.

The arrangement has historically supported legitimate trade, family connections and regional movement, but it has also made Niger a relatively accessible entry point for Nigerians seeking to continue irregularly towards North Africa and Europe.

The latest repatriation figures therefore offer a sobering reminder of the complex pressures driving migration across West Africa.

While economic hardship and the pursuit of better opportunities remain powerful motivations, the experiences of stranded and repatriated migrants underline the dangers of relying on unverified routes and informal migration networks.

For Nigerian authorities and regional partners, the challenge extends beyond returning stranded citizens.

It also involves addressing the economic pressures that fuel irregular migration, improving access to safe migration information and strengthening cooperation against trafficking and smuggling networks.

Also read: 13 trafficked Nigerian girls repatriated from Ghana: NiDCOM’s ongoing rescue efforts

As migration routes continue to shift across the Sahel, the plight of the 1,429 Nigerians repatriated from Niger in May provides a stark snapshot of the human cost behind the search for a better life abroad.