Despite the widespread belief that African migrants are frantically attempting to reach the developed world, the statistics at hand show that the reality is far more varied and complicated. Who, where, and why migrates within Africa?
It is no secret that, in the eyes of the general public, Africa is a continent engulfed in poverty and underdevelopment, with people forced to attempt self-exile in order to escape violence and suffering. When discussing African immigrants, the conversation frequently boils down to a desperate migration of sub-Saharan Africans seeking refuge in Europe across the Mediterranean. This impression is fueled by certain alarmist speech that has a big social impact as well as the graphic media portrayals of disasters involving migrants.
While it would be naive to imply that the drama or these photos are not real, the data that is now available indicates that this occurrence should not be seen as typical of African migrations in general. The majority of Africans migrate to another African nation for employment, education, or personal reasons, and their migration patterns generally do not differ significantly from those of other continents. Furthermore, they use legitimate means, possessing current passports and visas.
Development as a reason to move:
Unquestionably, millions of Africans are forced to flee due to violence and natural catastrophes; in fact, Africa is the continent with the highest number of internally displaced people and refugees. However, the great majority of them travel either inside state borders or to nearby nations; very few of them travel north in quest of territory in Europe. Over 6.5 million people became refugees in Africa in 2017, compared to over 12 million internally displaced people. However, a number of causes that are unrelated to violence or extreme poverty are at play in the majority of African migration. Furthermore, despite popular belief, individuals who have the greatest purchasing power—those who can afford to bear the costs of relocation—migrate, not the poorest people. This reasoning holds true at the state level as well: the nations who send the greatest number of immigrants are not the poorest ones; rather, it is the ones that have reached a particular level of development.
Development tends to enhance the amount of material resources, social networks, education, and information available, which encourages migration rather than acting as a barrier. Numerous economies on the developing continent of Africa are expanding at highly encouraging rates, which is enabling a level of development that encourages migration. Because of this, the majority of Africans only move if they are qualified and have the will to do so. While individuals who are poorer and less educated tend to migrate less and to closer places, those who go further distances typically have certain financial means as well as being literate, competent, and capable.
For a larger view, see “Rural Africa in motion,” published in 2017 by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Numerous factors influence the decision to migrate, which makes the African migratory phenomena incredibly complex. These undoubtedly include socio-cultural factors like education systems, ethnicity, language, or networks and contacts abroad, as well as the personal and family characteristics of the migrant. They also undoubtedly include political and economic issues like the quest for better jobs and opportunities, the effectiveness of the government, insecurity, discrimination, political disaffection, conflicts, etc. Factors like the weather and environment, demographics (like population density and distribution), the legal system, the local political climate, cultural norms, the country of destination’s reception, the expense and difficulty of travel, the destination’s remoteness, or the availability of new technologies must all be added to this.
A moving continent:
Africa has experienced a greater relative increase of emigration than Asia in recent decades due to population growth, infrastructure and technological advancements, improved living standards, and regional connectivity.
Three-quarters more African immigrants lived in the world in 2017 than there were at the beginning of the century, numbering over 36 million. With the exception of North America and Oceania, this seemingly high percentage makes Africa the continent from where the fewest immigrants originate; only 14% of immigrants worldwide are from Africa. In actuality, the majority of Africans residing outside of their nation of origin reside in another African nation; if the Maghreb were excluded, this percentage would increase to 75%. The great majority of Maghrebi emigrants migrate outside to countries with a Mediterranean coastline, which generally has very different migration trends from sub-Saharan African nations. Though there is also a sizable North African population in the Middle East, their primary destination is Europe, where social networks and historical ties are extremely important.
For additional details, see the UN’s 2017 “International Migration Report Highlights.”
Most people in the remainder of Africa migrate to nearby nations or inside the continent. Nearly all migrations occur within the same region, such as in West Africa, which is the most mobile region in terms of migration.
This is made feasible by porous borders, a long history of migration between some nations, the transnational presence of some ethnic groups, and the formal free movement of persons allowed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Given that two thirds of migrants are headed for other countries in the region, East Africa serves as another prime example of the close migratory ties within Africa.
Africa’s predominant migration trend is often from inland to coastal countries, or from more developed or productive countries. Although this phenomenon coexists with other patterns, the most common migration is from the most marginalized rural areas to urban centers, where there are typically greater opportunities. Other patterns of migration include those from one city to another, from the countryside to the city, and from one rural area to another for the possibility of access to land or the development of new activities.
Large urban centers’ population concentrations can also encourage marginalization and precariousness, as well as circular migrations that mostly rely on agricultural campaigns. Given that 60% of people reside in rural areas south of the Sahara, the rural population’s significant contribution to the migratory phenomena in Africa is not surprising.
To elaborate: Marie-Laurence Flahaux and Hein de Haas, “African migration: trends, patterns, determinants,” 2016.
The median age is thirty-one years old, and migration tends to favor men over women. Furthermore, Africans migrate primarily within their own countries: the number of internal migrants much exceeds that of foreign migrants, albeit an exact figure is hard to determine due to the challenges of measuring them.
Africa to the global arena:
More than half of the more than 17 million African migrants living outside of Africa are hosted in Europe. On the other hand, compared to European immigrants residing in North America, this population is marginally higher. If one excludes immigrants from the Maghreb, the number falls to slightly over four million, with over half coming from eight sub-Saharan nations. It is no accident that the two European nations with the highest concentration of sub-Saharan Africans are the former two largest metropolises: around 1.2 million sub-Saharan Africans reside in the UK, while nearly a million do so in France. Nearly three-quarters of sub-Saharan Africans living in Europe in 2017 were from these nations, which also included Portugal and Italy, both of which were once colonies.
However, Africans do not simply travel to the Old Continent. The number of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa in the US is over a million. Additionally, emigration to Asia is increasing, especially from East Africa to Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia, and Canada is a common destination. The migration of people from southern Africa to Oceania, especially Australia, is also notable.
Based on available data, it is evident that there has been a significant rise in migration from Africa to other parts of the world since the turn of the century. Approximately 9 million more Africans are living outside of their continent of origin. Nonetheless, the percentage has only increased by 5%, which is detrimental to intra-African migration. The increased percentage of Africans who have chosen to go to North America and Asia is what has caused this minor increase. In contrast, the proportion of African immigrants to Europe in 2017 (including those from North Africa) was unchanged from 2000.
Even though the majority of emigration occurs within Africa, most remittances received by African households originate outside of the continent, primarily from Europe. This is because three-fifths of the remittances that enter the continent come from the Maghreb. In light of the fact that Nigeria makes up almost one-third of the total, only 12% of remittances to Africa are received by the rest of sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to many of the world’s poorest nations.
The continent of the future:
Africa’s population median age is currently 19.5 years, a number that would be lower if the continent’s northern regions were excluded. Despite a modest decline, the average number of births per woman in Africa is 4.43, with 60% of the continent’s population under 25. This will lead to the current population of 1,256 million Africans, or nearly 17% of the world’s population, to experience a sharp increase in life expectancy to grow by twice in just thirty years. Africa is anticipated to host 4.467 billion people by 2100, accounting for four out of ten people on the planet. By 2050, a quarter of all people on the planet will have been born there.
Expanded: “Global population outlook,” United Nations, 2017
This population explosion will occur at a time when climate conditions are predicted to become increasingly hostile, perhaps leading to both environmental degradation and more conflict. It is not difficult to expect a significant increase in international migration from Africa based alone on these projections. We can only hope, however, that the continent that gave rise to the human species will be the engine of rejuvenation of an increasingly aging world, given that the population trend in all other continents, with the exception of North America and Oceania, is a demographic decrease. This trend is especially pressing in Europe.
All signs point to the irreversible nature of African migration, and those that are currently marginal—that is, extracontinental—will likely become increasingly significant over the course of several decades. In light of this, it does not appear that attempting to stop migratory flows that are thought to be inevitable is the best course of action over the long run. For this reason, it makes sense to concentrate first on promoting sustainable development, which will enable African countries to supply all of the labor demand that will eventually be absorbed into labor markets that are already essentially full.
Furthermore, it appears appropriate to take a multilateral approach to managing the increasingly prevalent migratory phenomena in a more effective and responsible manner, so that it can be utilized to its full potential while also averting potential negative effects.
Positive measures are being taken across Africa in this regard. One such measure is the March 2018 signing of the African Union agreement on the free movement of persons and the right to residency and establishment, which is a supplement to the free trade area that 44 countries have committed to. However, given that free movement regulations are frequently not fully implemented, caution is advised. These regulations are already in effect in organizations like ECOWAS, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the East African Community. Both the social and legal environments for immigrants are not pleasant in Africa. The African continent has also contributed to global xenophobia, deportations, rights violations, and suspicion of immigrants.
In any event, it is good to see African initiatives being launched with the backing of partners outside of the continent, not just in the migratory domain but also in the political, development, and security domains. Foreign-conceived interventionist schemes with messianic overtones are frequently inadequate and prioritize foreign interests over African ones. A more affluent Africa will be one that belongs to its people, and that will undoubtedly affect global prosperity.