- More than two-thirds (68%) of Gambians say they have considered leaving their country, a 12-percentage-point increase compared to 2018 (56%) (Figure 1). The share of citizens who say they have given “a lot” of thought to emigration has almost doubled, from 29% to 53%.
- Thoughts of emigrating are most common among part-time workers (83%), unemployed citizens (80%), and those with post-secondary education (81%) (Figure 2). o Young adults (75% of those aged 18-35) are more likely than older cohorts (37%- 70%) to consider emigrating.
- Among those who have considered emigrating, three in 10 (30%) cite the desire to escape economic hardship or poverty, while a similar proportion point to the search for work opportunities (28%) (Figure 3).
- The most popular destinations for potential emigrants are North America (30%) and Europe (28%) (Figure 4).
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.