A new survey of more than 4,500 young people in Africa, aged 18-24, has found that 52% of them are likely to consider emigrating in the next few years, citing economic hardship and education opportunities as the top reasons. The BBC spoke to five young people in Nigeria and South Africa who said they do not feel safe in their countries and lack access to work opportunities, but for those in Ghana the picture looks very different.
"The Nigerian insecurity is so appalling," says 18-year-old Ayoade Oni from Lagos. This is one of the main reasons he wants to leave Nigeria.
If he left Nigeria, and relocated to Canada where he has his heart set on, he would have no intention of moving back. Most of his friends feel the same: "90% if not all of them" want out, he says.
The statistics from the African Youth Survey 2022, carried out in 15 countries by the South African Ichikowitz Family Foundation, back up Mr Oni's pessimism.
"It's bigger than a brain drain," Mr Ichikowitz told the BBC Newsday programme. "This group of people, 18 to 24 year olds in Africa, are saying: 'We are going to improve our lives, even if it means having to up and leave and go somewhere else.'"
He said the fact so many young Africans wanted to move abroad could cause a migration crisis, describing it as "alarming".
In the previous edition of the African Youth Survey conducted before the pandemic, most of the young people interviewed wanted to stay in their home nation and build a life for themselves there, Mr Ichikowitz said.
A lot of the young people his foundation spoke to wanted to move to South Africa, Europe or the US. But although South Africa was seen as "the holy grail" for many in other African countries, those in South Africa begged to differ, and wanted to move to the US or Europe, he said.
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"The Nigerian insecurity is so appalling," says 18-year-old Ayoade Oni from Lagos. This is one of the main reasons he wants to leave Nigeria.
If he left Nigeria, and relocated to Canada where he has his heart set on, he would have no intention of moving back. Most of his friends feel the same: "90% if not all of them" want out, he says.
The statistics from the African Youth Survey 2022, carried out in 15 countries by the South African Ichikowitz Family Foundation, back up Mr Oni's pessimism.
"It's bigger than a brain drain," Mr Ichikowitz told the BBC Newsday programme. "This group of people, 18 to 24 year olds in Africa, are saying: 'We are going to improve our lives, even if it means having to up and leave and go somewhere else.'"
He said the fact so many young Africans wanted to move abroad could cause a migration crisis, describing it as "alarming".
In the previous edition of the African Youth Survey conducted before the pandemic, most of the young people interviewed wanted to stay in their home nation and build a life for themselves there, Mr Ichikowitz said.
A lot of the young people his foundation spoke to wanted to move to South Africa, Europe or the US. But although South Africa was seen as "the holy grail" for many in other African countries, those in South Africa begged to differ, and wanted to move to the US or Europe, he said.
African brain drain: '90% of my friends want to leave'
A new survey of more than 4,500 young people in Africa, aged 18-24, has found that 52% of them are likely to consider emigrating in the next few years, citing economic hardship and education opportunities as the top reasons. The BBC spoke to five young people in Nigeria and South Africa who said...
