A large minority of Gambians want to migrate to another country, according to a research conducted by Afrobarometer.

The African wide study looks at migration flows in 34 African countries. The study draws on new Afrobarometer data from 34 national surveys to explore the perceptions and preferences of Africans when it comes to international migration.

The findings show that more than one-third of Gambians (56%) have considered emigrating, though far fewer are making actual plans to leave. The data shows that the young and the educated are most likely to consider going abroad.

“How many Africans are thinking about leaving their home country to live elsewhere? On average across 34 countries, almost four in 10 (37%) say they have considered migrating, including 18% who have given this “a lot” of thought and another 19% who have considered it “somewhat” or “a little bit”. In five countries, more than half of respondents have at least considered migrating (“a little,” “somewhat,” or “a lot”): Cabo Verde (57%), Sierra Leone (57%), the Gambia (56%), Togo (54%), and São Tomé and Príncipe (54%).

“Finding work and escaping economic hardship are the most frequently cited reasons to consider emigrating – fully in line with our earlier findings that unemployment is the most important problem that Africans want their governments to address,” the report states.

According to the reports West Africa top the list of the African region with the highest desire to migrate, four in 10 citizens have given a lot of thought in leaving their country of origin, while the Southern Africa region registered the least desire in migrating.

The report, available at www.afrobarometer.org, shows that the most popular destination among potential emigrants is neither Europe nor North America but another African country, and that potential emigrants are overwhelmingly motivated by a hunger for jobs and economic opportunity.

It also revealed that contrary to the notion that migrants are simply a country’s most impoverished citizens, youth and education are far more strongly correlated with interest in emigration than poverty.

The report’s detailed analyses by country, region, and demographic group provide useful insights for policy making to address migration – not just in destination countries concerned about their ability to absorb large numbers of immigrants, but also in countries of origin at risk of losing some of their most educated, motivated, and creative young people.