About Us

The African Border and Mobility Society (ABMS) is the brainchild of Dr. Samuel Okunade of the newly established Department of Border and Migration Studies, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos State, Nigeria. ABMS was formed to consolidate existing scholarship while expanding the intellectual and institutional landscape of border and migration studies in Africa, building on the pioneering work of scholars such as Professor Anthony I. Asiwaju, widely regarded as the father of African Borderlands Studies.

Mission & Vision

Vision: To be Africa's leading professional and scholarly society advancing excellence in Border and Migration Studies through innovative research, interdisciplinary collaboration, policy engagement, and capacity building — promoting evidence-based solutions that strengthen border governance, regional integration, human mobility, peace, security, and sustainable development across the African continent.

Mission: To promote high-quality research, teaching, professional development, and policy dialogue in Border and Migration Studies by fostering collaboration among scholars, practitioners, governments, and regional institutions, advocating for the institutionalization of the discipline in African universities, and generating knowledge that informs effective border governance, migration management, and regional integration.

Focus

The Society aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on borders and mobility in Africa, strengthen policy engagement, promote collaboration, advance knowledge on integration and security, build capacity, support professional development, and advocate for establishing border and migration communications across Africa.

Objectives:

• Promote interdisciplinary research and knowledge production on border, migration, and regional integration in Africa
• Uphold high standards of scholarship, ethics, and professional practice in Border and Migration Studies
• Build the capacity of students, scholars, and practitioners through training, conferences, workshops, and certification programmes
• Foster partnerships among academia, governments, regional bodies, and international organizations on border and migration issues
• Influence policy and practice through evidence-based research, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement
• Advocate for the establishment of Border and Migration Studies as a distinct academic discipline across African universities
• Promote professional networking, collaboration, and the welfare of members across Africa

Activities

• Workshops and Webinars — Capacity-building sessions on research methods, academic writing, publication, grant writing, and policy engagement
• Keynote Lectures — Delivered by renowned scholars and policymakers
• Networking and Collaboration — Opportunities to connect with peers and mentors for guidance and research partnerships
• Conferences — Thematic panels exploring key issues in African border and migration studies

Expected Outcomes

• Foster a network of emerging, early-career, and senior scholars in African border and migration studies
• Build a community of scholars and practitioners dedicated to African migration and border governance
• Generate policy-relevant research on border and migration issues
• Influence policy discourse at national, regional, and continental levels
• Contribute to the development of sustainable migration governance frameworks