European Union Migration Policy and the Irregular Migration of Nigerians Across the Mediterranean

This study examines the European Union's migration management policies in relation to the irregular migration of Nigerian nationals across the Mediterranean Sea, focusing on the experiences of migrants from Edo and Delta States in South-South Nigeria. Nigeria is consistently identified as one of the largest sources of irregular migrants arriving in Europe via the Central Mediterranean route. EU migration policies, including the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and bilateral agreements with North African transit states, have drawn considerable scholarly and policy attention. This descriptive research draws on secondary literature published between 2020 and 2024, EU migration statistics, and testimonial accounts documented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and local non-governmental organisations in Benin City and Warri. The study investigates the push factors driving Nigerians to embark on dangerous Mediterranean crossings, the role of EU externalisation policies in reshaping migration routes, and the lived experiences of returnees who have undergone EU-funded voluntary return programmes. The research critically interrogates whether EU migration policies effectively balance border management objectives with the protection of migrant rights, and how returnee reintegration programmes in Edo and Delta States have performed against stated objectives. Keywords: EU migration policy, Mediterranean migration, Edo State, irregular migration, returnee reintegration.