Economic hardship pushing more Africans to consider leaving their countries – Afrobarometer report

Nearly one out of every two Africans has considered leaving their country in search of better opportunities, with unemployment and poverty emerging as the biggest factors driving migration across the continent, according to the latest Afrobarometer African Insights 2026 report. The report, titled ‘Beyond Borders: Citizen Perspectives on a Shifting Global Order,’ indicates that 45 per cent of Africans have at some point contemplated emigrating, while 25 per cent say they have thought about relocating abroad “a lot.” The findings represent a 40 per cent increase in migration aspirations compared with surveys conducted between 2016 and 2018, highlighting growing economic pressures confronting many households across Africa. The report is based on Round 10 Afrobarometer surveys conducted in 38 African countries during 2024 and 2025, providing one of the continent’s most comprehensive assessments of citizens’ views on migration, governance, trade and international relations.

Economic pressures According to the report, economic considerations overwhelmingly dominate migration decisions. Half (50 per cent) of prospective migrants cited the search for employment as their principal reason for wanting to relocate, while 29 per cent said they would leave to escape poverty and improve their standard of living. The study found that migration aspirations are strongest among young people and those with higher levels of education, reflecting concerns over limited employment opportunities despite increasing educational attainment across many African countries.

Changing migration destinations The report also points to a significant shift in where Africans hope to migrate. Whereas previous surveys showed many Africans preferred moving within the continent, that trend appears to be changing. The proportion of potential migrants who would rather relocate to another African country has declined sharply from 36 per cent in 2016-2018 to 26 per cent in the latest survey, suggesting that increasing numbers are now looking beyond Africa for economic opportunities.

The report says the changing pattern reflects evolving perceptions about where better employment prospects and improved living conditions can be found. Support for free movement Despite the growing desire to emigrate, Africans generally remain supportive of regional integration and the free movement of people. Nearly half of Africans have considered leaving their countries, with economic hardship and the search for employment emerging as the main factors driving the growing interest in migration, a new Afrobarometer report has revealed.

The 2026 African Insights flagship report, titled “Beyond Borders: Citizen Perspectives on a Shifting Global Order,” found that 45% of respondents across 38 African countries have thought about moving to another country, including 25% who said they have considered it “a lot.” The report represents a sharp rise in migration aspirations compared to nearly a decade ago. In 31 countries where the same question was asked between 2016 and 2018, the proportion of citizens who seriously considered leaving increased from 18% to 25%. West Africans recorded the highest levels of interest in emigration, with 34% saying they had thought “a lot” about leaving their countries.

The report identified The Gambia, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau and Ghana among countries with some of the highest levels of citizens seriously considering migration. More than half of Gambians (53%) and Liberians (51%) said they had seriously considered leaving, followed by Bissau-Guineans (49%) and Ghanaians (44%). According to Afrobarometer, economic concerns are the dominant motivation behind the trend.