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The Challenge of Managing Refugees in Africa: The Case of Liberian Refugees in Nigeria

Charles Emeka Okereafor, Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
charliegov1@yahoo.com

The Liberian war of the 1990s created a large number of refugees. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed that about 300,000 Liberians refugees were in Guinea, 120,000 in Cote d’Ivoire, 80,000 in Sierra-Leone, and 141,000 in Nigeria. The presence of the refugees in these countries created numerous problems ranging from lack of basic necessities to insecurity. This has posed a great deal of challenge to the countries. These problems have been similar to what other countries that have been hosts to refugees have faced. In the Nigerian case, a refugee camp was established at Oru in Ogun State where basic amenities were provided to cater for the needs of the refugees. The fairly conducive environment also enabled some of the refugees to embark on little economic activities to augment the little that came from official quarters. Compared with the experiences of refugees in many other parts of Africa where basic amenities have been lacking and where some have even been massacred, it could be said that the Liberian refugees in Nigeria have not fared badly. But this was at a great cost to Nigeria and many Nigerians have complained about the use of hard-earned resources for non-Nigerians amidst mounting domestic problems. In spite of Nigeria’s enormous sacrifices, the refugees still face numerous problems. This work focuses on the experience of Liberian refugees in Nigeria as a way of understanding the problem of managing refugees in Africa. It should shed light on the nature and dimensions of the African refuge crisis.