About seven in 10 Gambians have considered emigrating, with the proportion of citizens who have given it “a lot” of thought almost doubling since 2018, a new Afrobarometer survey shows.
The most common reasons cited by potential migrants are the desire to escape economic hardship and the search for work opportunities.
Those who are most likely to emigrate are young adults, part-time workers, unemployed individuals, and those with post-secondary education. North America and Europe are the most popular destinations for citizens considering migration.
As the world observes International Migrants Day (18 December), the Gambia and other African countries contend with “brain drain,” high-risk irregular migration, and other emigration-related challenges while also benefiting from remittances by citizens working abroad.
