International Migrants Day: Almost half of Africans have considered emigrating, Afrobarometer survey shows
The new Afrobarometer shows that nearly half of Africans have considered emigrating, a significant increase compared to the proportion recorded in 2016/2018 (www.Afrobarometer.org) survey results from 24 African countries.
While many countries have seen an increase in their willingness to immigrate, Tanzania is the only country where it has declined. North America and Europe are the most popular destinations, although a large proportion of potential migrants prefer to resettle within Africa.
The findings indicate that the main motivations for immigrating are to find work and to escape economic hardship.
Main findings
- On average across the 24 African countries surveyed in 2024, nearly half (47%) of respondents said they had considered moving to another country, with 27% considering emigrating “several times” ( Figure 1).
- Thoughts of emigration are most common in Liberia (78%), The Gambia (68%), Cape Verde (64%) and Ghana (61%). In contrast, few Tanzanians (9%) expressed interest in leaving.
- On average across the 22 countries continuously surveyed since 2016/2018, the share of citizens who have considered emigrating at least “somewhat” has increased by 9 percentage points, with double-digit increases in Liberia (28 percentage points) and Mauritius ( 27 points), Nigeria (21 points), Ghana (20 points), Cameroon (15 points), Namibia (12 points), Gambia (12 points) and Zimbabwe (11 points) points) (Figure 2).
- Tanzania was the only country to see a decrease in the proportion of citizens who had at least considered emigrating in the survey (-5%).
- The most popular destinations for potential immigrants are North America (31%) and Europe (29%) (Figure 3).
- However, nearly a quarter (22%) would move to another country in the region or elsewhere on the continent.
- About half (49%) of those considering emigrating cited finding work as the most important reason, while 29% cited a desire to escape financial hardship or poverty (Figure 4).
Afrobarometer survey
Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey and research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and assessments of democracy, governance and quality of life. Since 1999, nine survey rounds have been completed in as many as 42 countries. The 10th round of the survey will be launched in January 2024.
Afrobarometer’s country partners conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,200-2,400 adults in the language of the respondent’s choice, producing country-level results with a margin of error of +/-2 to +/-3 percentage points (95%) confidence level .
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afrobarometer.
For more information please contact:
josephine sanney
afrobarometer
communications director
Email: jappiah@afrobarometer.org
Phone: +233243240933
Social media:
Facebook
twitter
LinkedIn
Youtube
Instagram
WhatsApp
Visit us online: www.Afrobarometer.org.
Follow us on #VoicesAfrica.
