By Damilola Samuel
Nigerian travel documentarian McDolly Ogundana, popularly known as The9jaboy, has urged Nigeria, European governments and African transit countries to strengthen cooperation against the growing risks faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe through dangerous Atlantic routes.
Ogundana, who has visited more than 130 countries, made the appeal in a statement issued in Ibadan on Wednesday after reflecting on his experience in Tangier, Morocco, where he observed the sea route towards Spain.
He said the experience reinforced his concerns about migrants who embark on dangerous crossings in overcrowded and often unseaworthy boats in search of employment and better living conditions.
“How many more people must die at sea before we treat unsafe migration as the humanitarian emergency that it is?” he asked.
Ogundana stressed that his position was not against migration, noting that movement across borders has historically enabled people to pursue education, employment, business and other opportunities.
Rather, he argued that restrictions on legal mobility should not force desperate travellers into the hands of smugglers or traffickers.
“Limited passport mobility should never push anyone into surrendering their life to a smuggler,” he said.
According to figures cited by Ogundana from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 60,000 migrants and refugees had reached Europe by sea by mid-September 2026, representing a decline from the corresponding period in 2025.
However, he said at least 2,292 people had been recorded dead or missing during the period, compared with 1,999 in the comparable period of the previous year.
“In other words, fewer people are making these journeys, but the journeys have become deadlier,” Ogundana said, adding that the actual toll could be higher because some disappearances and shipwrecks may go undocumented.
He identified the Atlantic route from West Africa towards Spain’s Canary Islands as a particular concern. Ogundana cited IOM figures showing that irregular arrivals in the Canary Islands fell substantially in 2025 compared with 2024, while dozens of shipwrecks were nevertheless recorded.
He said the figures demonstrated why a reduction in arrivals should not automatically be interpreted as an end to the humanitarian crisis.
“Success cannot be measured only by how many boats fail to reach Europe. It must also be measured by how many lives are saved,” he said.
Ogundana also pointed to a recent boat tragedy involving migrants who departed The Gambia and were later rescued near Spain’s Canary Islands after spending 27 days at sea.
Five deaths were reportedly confirmed, while survivors were said to have told migrant-rights organisation Walking Borders that dozens more people, including women and a baby, may have died. The larger death toll, however, had not been independently confirmed.
The travel documentarian argued that the response to irregular migration should combine enforcement with practical alternatives for people seeking opportunities abroad.
He proposed stronger public-awareness campaigns featuring survivors and affected families, saying young Africans needed direct accounts of the dangers associated with desert crossings, trafficking, smuggling and unsafe sea journeys.
He also called for Nigeria and European countries to expand transparent legal migration opportunities in sectors where workers are needed, including agriculture, healthcare, construction, hospitality and technology.
On enforcement, Ogundana advocated increased intelligence-sharing and joint operations involving Nigeria, Spain and relevant African countries to disrupt trafficking and migrant-smuggling networks.
He further urged greater investment in employment-generating sectors, including vocational training, entrepreneurship, agriculture and technology, particularly in communities where irregular migration is prevalent.
“Telling a young unemployed Nigerian simply, ‘Don’t go,’ will achieve little if that person believes there is nothing to stay for. We have to provide credible alternatives,” he said.
Ogundana proposed the establishment of a Nigeria–Spain–Africa Safe Migration Initiative involving government agencies, international organisations, civil society groups, private-sector representatives and diaspora stakeholders.
He said the proposed framework should focus on safe migration, legal pathways, employment, anti-trafficking measures and protection of human dignity, with progress measured through concrete outcomes.
The traveller said his advocacy was also connected to the message behind his The9jaboy platform — Representation, Inspiration and Authenticity.
“For me, travelling to more than 130 countries has never been only about collecting passport stamps or counting countries. It is about showing what is possible while also being honest about the difficulties of travelling with a Nigerian passport,” he said.
He urged young Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad to pursue them through safer and lawful channels.
“My message to young Nigerians is simple: travel the world, chase opportunities, cross borders and dream beyond where you were born, but do it legally, safely and with dignity.”
Ogundana said he was willing to collaborate with government institutions, international organisations, civil society groups and media organisations on safe-migration awareness campaigns and efforts to document the experiences of migrants and their families.
“Migration is not merely a political debate; it is a human one. Behind every boat is a story, and behind every missing migrant is a grieving family,” he said.
He added that opportunities to pursue a better life should not come at the cost of human lives.
“Nobody should have to die trying. The African dream of a better life should not end somewhere in the Sahara Desert or at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The journey should not end at sea.”
