DMW eyes Nigeria post to support OFWs

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) plans to open a Migrant Workers Office (MWO) in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, according to DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac. 

In a press briefing, Cacdac said preparations for the Abuja MWO will begin after the department’s Jeddah leg of the OFW Serbisyo Caravan on 8 August. He will visit Liberia and Nigeria along with DMW Undersecretary for Middle East and African Affairs Jainal T. Rasul. 

Currently, the only MWO in Africa is located in Rabat, Morocco, covering North Africa.

The planned Abuja MWO will cater to West African nations including Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone. 

Cacdac described the Abuja post as “strategic” citing Port Harcourt in Nigeria is a regular port of call for vessels carrying Filipino seafarers. 

The Niger River and surrounding West African waters have been known to encounter piracy incidents.

“So in Port Harcourt, our seafarers sometimes also encounter problems with piracy. So it’s also strategic in that sense to have a base in Abuja where it’s easier to assist OFW seafarers.”

He added that the MWO will strengthen documentation efforts for Filipino workers in the region. 

DMW authorities will meet with Filipino communities in Nigeria and Liberia during the visit. 

According to Rasul, Nigeria has a growing labor market with an estimated 6,000 Filipinos employed in sectors such as management, manufacturing, healthcare, and information technology.