Japa, a process through which Nigerians leave the country to seek greener pastures in western and Asian countries, is gradually taking a different dimension as some youths now search for better living conditions in African countries.

Weekend Trust reports that many of them now cross to nearby African countries due to many factors. They seek for job opportunities in Chad, Niger, Cameroun, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and others, often in tough conditions but with better pay than what obtains in Nigeria.

This trend is reportedly caused by harsh economic conditions, unemployment and insecurity at home, a situation that has become a daily occurrence in most parts of the North-East, North West and other places.

Some of those who spoke to Weekend Trust also said the continued downward slide of the naira against the CFA, a currency used by the neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, had forced many Nigerian youths to migrate to earn in the foreign currency, which has a higher value when converted to naira.

In search of prosperity in Niger Republic

Our correspondent in Katsina, who travelled to the neighbouring Niger Republic, reports that many Nigerians, particularly youths, are currently in Maradi, Niamey and other parts seeking greener pastures. It was observed that the Nigerian migrants live in peace with their hosts. Some of them specialise in Plaster of Paris (POP), tiling works, furniture making, tailoring, and construction works.

Although their reasons for migrating differ, one thing that is central is the devaluation of the naira, which made the Nigerian currency less valuable, in relation to the high inflation in the country.

Habibu Abdullahi, who moved to Niger in search of opportunities, said: “The tables turned. In the past, Nigerien nationals came to Nigeria to work, earned in naira and took it back home as something huge. Now, it is the other way round.”

Musa Alhaji Adam, an indigene of Borno State who is about three weeks in Niger and works as a tailor, said: “I come from a big family in Maiduguri, but as you know, there are many challenges in life and no condition is permanent. When the drumbeat changes the dance steps change too. Many of our family members have gone out in search of livelihood and I realised that I had no option than to move out of my comfort zone.”

He said the only major difference between tailoring in Nigeria and Niger Republic is that the workload is more in Niger, but cost is similar in both countries.

“In Nigeria, a set of plain cloths costs between N7, 000 and N8, 000; here, it is also 3,000CFA, which is equivalent to N8,100. But unlike here where we work daily, back home, sometimes you can spend days without getting a client.

“When I came here, I didn’t know anyone, but I met a good man who introduced me to his brother, under whom I now work,” he said.

On his part, Mubarak Kawo, a Kano-born graduate of Sociology, said he was in Niger for a different business other than tailoring but noted that two factors kept him in the tailoring business: the value of Niger’s currency and the rate at which they get work there.

He noted that although he lives in peace with his hosts, he would love to have something doing back home so that he would be close to his family.

“I would like to call on governments to provide opportunities for skills to our teeming youths that will make us proud of our country and enable us to be more patriotic. I want the youths to understand that there are no government jobs; the opportunities are rare and they are for those with connections. We need to learn skills so that we can be self-reliant,” he advised.

Similarly, Umar Mukhtar, another tailor from Katsina, who makes hijab at the Maradi Central Market, said his migration to Niger was due to the demand for his skill. He said they did the same work in Katsina but noted that the number of those in the business and the ratio of customers made the work less attractive.

“Majority of the tailors you see around here are from Nigeria”, he said.

A mason, Umar Papa, another indigene of Katsina and graduate of Biochemistry, said he migrated to Niger because of unemployment.

He said: “I graduated in 2019, but there are no jobs to earn a living. Gone are those days when one would sit at home waiting for government job. So I decided to learn this skill of masonry, but unfortunately, with the economic situation in our country, even the construction work is scarce and the pay isn’t that good.

“A friend advised me to move here and introduced me to his master, with whom I now work. I travel home every two to three months to see my family.

“Here, they admire our work. In addition, their currency is higher in value than our naira.”

He said the highest he earned as a mason back home was N5, 000 daily, but in Niger, the minimum they pay is CFA3, 000, which is equivalent to N8, 100.

“Some people pay up to CFA5, 000, which is equivalent to N13, 500. In a month, you earn about N400, 000,” he said.

He, however, lamented that some clients, out of sheer wickedness, would pay them in naira value, which when converted lowers their earnings.

He called on the Nigerian government to look into the unemployment situation in the country so that youths would not have to take their skills elsewhere.

A 23-year-old Nasir Mustapha, a carpenter from Malumfashi in Katsina State, said: “What we earn here is higher than what we get back home. Even the way we operate here differs from what obtains at home.

“Here, you only work on a particular set of furniture, and with help, you can complete it within two to three days and earn a minimum of N65, 000, unlike in Nigeria where your boss would assign work to you haphazardly – working on more than 10 sets at a time; and at the end of the day, you won’t earn up to N15,000.”

Mustapha’s goal is to raise enough capital to enable him establish his workshop and employ others back home in Nigeria.

A 41-year-old Mallam Muhammad Moson, popularly known as Gwarama, also said: “Back home, as a mason, the highest I received daily was N6,000, while my staff would receive half of my pay, but here, I earn between CFA4,000 and CFA5,000, which is N10,800 or N13,500 compared to the naira. My labourer earns half of that. At least you can eat and send something to your family.”

Gwarama, also an indigene of Katsina State, said he was praying to God to move his source of income closer to his family in Nigeria.

Abdulkadir Abubakar, whose brother introduced him to tiling work in Maradi, said: “My brother is a contractor and tiling is part of the finishing aspect of building. Tiling pays well and I am comfortable with it.”

Also, Umar Ibrahim, Ibrahim Adamu and Jamilu, who are both in their 20s, noted that the pay in Niger was better for them than what they got in Nigeria.

Umar said: “Here in Niger, the farther you go, the better the pay. For instance, if you go to Niamey, a mason earns up to CFA7, 000 daily, and that is about N18, 000 per day, while a labourer earns about N9,000.”

Another migrant, Muhammad Sheriff, popularly known as Dan Kasuwa, is an indigene of Maiduguri, Borno State, who alternates Cameroon, Niger and Chad in search of greener pasture.

He lamented that the countries they migrate to are no match to Nigeria in terms of resources and development, but they have a system that works.

He said Nigerian labourer in Cameroon gets between 300CFA and 500CFA, which was equivalent to N5, 600 at the time he left for Chad.

According to him: “It is the poor value of the naira that is attracting our youths to Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic. However, finding a job in those countries is the problem; sometimes we have to travel to Kusuri, which we call Kusuri Kuskuren Yaro in Hausa, meaning a costly mistake for a kid. Once you set your foot in that town, getting food to eat is a serious challenge, not to mention getting a job.

“You will sleep in a filthy street; and the police will chase and take you to the border if you are not lucky. We call Kusuri a costly mistake of a kid because you will be on your own once you arrive there. As we speak, I saw a guy taller than me here at Kasuwar Albasa crying because he had not eaten since yesterday.

“There are carpenters who came from Maiduguri to find jobs in Kusuri,” he said, adding that hundreds of youths from Maiduguri troop into Cameroon every day to find jobs.

“From Gamboru to Kusuri, up to N’Djamena, you will see indigenes of Borno State doing various kinds of trade and businesses due the present economic hardship in Nigeria. But if you find something to do you will forget the hardship because the little money you get would buy you a lot of things to take care of your family,” he said.

For Abdulkareem Dogo, a graduate of Library and Information Technology from University of Maiduguri: “When things became too difficult in Nigeria, I convinced my friends, eight of us to cross to Djado for a goldmine in Niger Republic.

“With the little money I had, we boarded a vehicle to Maine Soroa border in Niger Republic, then we travelled to Zandar-Agadaz in a luxurious bus towards the desert mining town called Djado.

“Although we faced serious challenges on the road and with the gendarmes at checkpoints and the risky side of the mining itself, people are getting millions.

“I get the gold in bits – 3 grams, 10 grams, 20 grams – but I have raised some capital to venture into another business.” he said.

However, Dogo did not mention the amount of money he got from mining but said a gram of refined gold in the market costs not less than N170, 000.

“I will not advise someone to go into mining in Niger because it is very risky, but those who have the capital can venture into a series of businesses there,” he said.

Dogo said he took the desert route to the mining site in Djado, explaining that the trip was tedious as they drank all the water they reserved in containers before they arrived. And there was no food along the road.

Dogo said he arrived at Djado mining site along with seven friends, adding, “On my first day, I was led into the mine almost 150 feet deep, gripping knotted ropes, finding footholds before dropping in the yard-wide hole.

“I crawled and dug, filling buckets with gold sand that was hauled up by rope. We did a six-hour shift, entering in the morning by 6am and coming out by 12 noon,” he said.

Another Nigerian, Malam Musa Abdulkadir, a Point of Sale (POS) and local bureau-de-change operator in Diffa market, a border town in Niger Republic, said he opened the business two years ago when the value of the naira against the CFA franc started depreciating.

Abdulkadir said he migrated to Niger Republic as a refugee from Abadam Local Government Area and later took advantage of the scarcity of the CFA after the military coup to establish the POS business.

He said many Nigerians also migrated to border communities and started POS and bureau-de-change businesses, especially around border markets.

He said: “You will find them around Diffa, Gigime, Boso, Kablewa, Jakori, Garin Wanzam, Kinchambi, Tumar and some parts of Maradi province that borders the Nigerian states of Kano and Katsina.

“As it is today, the volume of transactions in naira at these border communities is higher than in the CFA because the naira has less value. They don’t keep the naira; they only come here, exchange CFA and do instant payment after transaction. Now, the naira is circulating more than CFA franc in those communities,” he said.

According to him, some Nigerians who have enough capital are buying CFA franc at its low value to speculate and sell at its highest value.

“Last year, the naira traded at N1, 870 per CFA1, 000 at the open market, but today, the exchange rate is N2, 800 per CFA1,000.”

Mohammad Abdullahi, an indigene of Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, said he migrated to Diffa Province in Niger and live as a refugee.

He said that after the activities of agencies providing support to the refugees slowed down, hundreds of them found jobs for themselves.

“Some of us became commercial drivers, some POS operators, some went into bureau-de-change, but I decided to open this mobile phone charging business. And Alhamdulillah, I use this business to feed my family and even support my parents at home,” he said.

Abdullahi said he was contented with the business and would not return to Nigeria unless the government provides security in their area and improves the business environment.

Noting that there is nowhere like home, he said, “I know what my family at home is going through. It is not easy to live in a country that is not yours because of the discrimination one faces, but we have good life here. The business is paying because their currency is stable and has more value than our naira.”

He called on the government to deploy more troops to Abadam so that people could return and continue with their farming activities.

Kano migrants find fortunes in Niger, Mali

Mustapha Akarami, who left Nigeria for Niger Republic, abandoning his tricycle riding business in 2023 for hawking second-hand children’s toys, said a friend introduced him to his current business.

“I tried it and the return was good. It is not like I am making some good money here; it is just that the CFA is now more valuable than our naira. Whenever we convert what we make to naira, the money becomes big.

“If you compare it with life here, it is not much. The moment you convert what you have to naira and send it home, the value swells”, he said.

Akarami also said he made an average of CFA150, 000, which is approximately N400, 000.

“Before now, this money was not up to N150, 000, but after the naira devaluation, we get more,” he said.

Akarami also said members of his family were still in Kano because he has three kids who are already in school, saying he only visits to spend few weeks after spending months there.

Another migrant, Ibrahim Lawal, who is into tailoring, said he left home for Mali after getting a job at a tailoring firm in Bamako, the West African French colony capital.

He said, “I didn’t have a second thought when I converted my salary in CFA to naira. There is no way I can make that amount in my tailoring business in Kano. I am not married yet, so the burden of a family is not there. I only travel home to visit my parents after a few months, then return.”

Lawal also said he made about CFA100, 000, “which is more than N250, 000 when converted to naira.”

He hopes to save enough money in a few years that would enable him set up a befitting business in Nigeria before coming back home.

He said he rented a single room apartment which he shares with a friend who also migrated from Kano.

Lawal said he visited Nigeria once since migrating in 2024, noting that he plans to visit home every eight months until he gets married.

Also, Mubarak Musa, who sells second hand clothes in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), said he relocated because of the flourishing business environment and security there.

“Since I relocated to this country, I enjoy relative peace and an accommodating business environment. I make an equivalent of about N500, 000 monthly, an amount that an average middle class person like me cannot make in Nigeria,” Musa said.

He said that before finally settling in the country, he was in Niger; and since his arrival in 2024, he decided to focus on his business without thinking of leaving for another country.

Musa said the number of Nigerian youths in Cote d’Ivoire was on the increase due to what he described as the difficulty in securing jobs or saving a decent capital to start business.

‘Unemployment, low wages reason for migration’

Theophilus Chinagorom, a young Nigerian in Côte d’Ivoire, explained why he chose neighbouring African countries over the traditional dream of Europe.

“There are no good-paying jobs in Nigeria. Here, I can earn CFA5, 000 a day. That is more than N10, 000 when you convert it. It is very hard to find such jobs in Nigeria,” Chinagorom told our correspondent.

“Many Nigerians in Abidjan work in Chinese, Lebanese or Indian-owned factories, producing everything, from plywood and plastics to shoes and slippers. Wages vary between CFA3, 500 and CFA7, 000 daily, depending on location and company size.

“The jobs are very hard, so some Nigerians return home after a while. But many decide to stay because when they think of Nigeria, they ask themselves what they are going back to do.

“Beyond wages, Côte d’Ivoire offers peace and a sense of freedom. Here, you have your space. You can run your business, move around and nobody disturbs you. That’s why some of us prefer to stay.

“If I see another good opportunity in another country, of course I will leave. We are all looking for greener pastures,” he said.

Another youth who travelled to Burkina Faso for greener pastures said the only attraction is that the economy there is far better than Nigeria.

The 29-year old Jonah Oke (not real name) said his friend introduced him to gold mining and the pay is far better than what is paid in Nigeria, adding that the business is very lucrative.

He said his parents pressured him to return to Nigeria because terrorists were killing and kidnapping people around Ouagadougou, the country’s capital, which was close to the gold mining site.

“I had gone to Burkina Faso to work in goldmines, but we were using the gold to produce different types of ointments or so. We underwent trainings before we started receiving salaries.

“The whole package was lucrative, that was why I was motivated to go there.

“The only reason I came back to Nigeria was that the location outside Ouagadougou was close to where terrorists were attacking. They attacked very close to where we were. They even kidnapped some of the expatriates. When the attack was getting very close, we had to look for a way to come back.

“From every indication, the economy there is better than what we have in Nigeria. That is the centre of attraction,” he said.

When Deborah Ufedou left Nigeria for Cotonou, it wasn’t factory work or adventure that pushed her across the border, it was education. She said, “The main reason was the unstable Nigerian university system, especially the constant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). I wanted to finish my education on time without losing years.”

While pursuing her studies, Deborah turned to business to sustain herself. She began with small jobs, working briefly in a restaurant but soon discovered the power of trading.

“I sold kilishi (dried meat), which I branded as Northern Tasty Kilishi. I also sold oil perfumes. Kilishi is my main business and it sustained me financially,” she said.

Her business expanded quickly. Through a dealer in Abuja, she imported kilishi into Benin Republic, repackaged it and sold under her brand.

“On average, I spend N170, 000 on stock. After selling, I usually make between N400, 000 and N430, 000 in return. On good weeks, I could make CFA30, 000 to CFA40, 000 or more,” she added.

She later added Northern Tasty Dambonama – shredded beef and chicken – to her product line.

The profits were far better than what she would have earned running the same business back home, she said.

Deborah said, “Naira has lost its value, so the CFA made the profits higher and consistent.

“I truly enjoy my stay in Benin Republic. Life is calmer, education is stable and people respect honest work. If Nigeria improves in stability and opportunities, I would prefer to continue my future there. But for now, this is where I feel at home.”

Also, Steven Ikechukwu, a Nigerian in the Republic of Benin, said he would not allow any of his children to stay or work in Nigeria.

The 48-year-old Nigerian gave several reasons behind his resolve to stay away from Nigeria. He said Nigeria’s economy had been plagued by instability, corruption and mismanagement, adding that insecurity has plunged the country into deeper problems.

“I reside in Benin Republic, specifically Cotonou. The security situation is stable. I can move around without fear of possible attack.

“Nigeria’s job market is highly competitive, with limited opportunities for career advancement. Many graduates face unemployment or underemployment, leading to frustration and disillusionment. So I wouldn’t like any of my children to face such humiliation in life, where those who are not competent are the ones getting such opportunities.

“Government’s policies are not stable and local investors are made to suffer. The country’s infrastructure is in a state of disrepair. The country’s roads, hospitals, schools and other public facilities are in a shambles. These account for why public officeholders send their children overseas to school while they get good medical attention abroad.

“Look at the security situation in the country, including Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and kidnapping. This has created a sense of insecurity, making it difficult for people to live and work in the country.

“Nothing seems to be working. As a businessman and an importer, corruption at the country’s port is endemic, affecting all aspects of life. This has created a sense of hopelessness among many businesses. It is cheaper to use the port of Cotonou to clear your cargo rather than any of the seaports in Nigeria,” he noted.

According to him, economies of other African countries are stable, which is one of the factors driving young Nigerians out of the country.

“Countries like Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic and Cote D’Ivoire offer better economic opportunities, with higher paying jobs, career advancement opportunities and a more stable economy.

“These countries have a reputation for good governance, with transparent and accountable institutions.

“Life in Benin Republic, where I reside currently, is more secure and stable, with lower crime rates and a stronger sense of security,” he said.

He said the Nigerian government must create jobs, stimulate economic growth and provide opportunities for career advancement, adding that government must invest in infrastructure, including roads, hospitals, schools and other public facilities.

Earlier this year, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), repatriated 231 Nigerians from Ghana. The youths had been trafficked and exploited for fraudulent digital activities, highlighting the danger some migrants face when seeking work outside the country.

Unemployment rate in Nigeria

The official unemployment rate in Nigeria, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as of the second quarter of 2024, is 4.3 per cent. However, there are platforms, such as NIRA, that put the figure at 33.3 per cent, while Afrobarometer puts it at 23 per cent.

Weekend Trust reports that the government had designed programmes to tackle the unemployment situation in the country through initiatives like the Renewed Hope Initiative, National Youth Skills Programme (NYSP), skills and vocational training anchored by the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), among others.

For instance, in April 2025, President Bola Tinubu launched the Labour, Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), designed to create 2.5 million jobs and opportunities within two years for unemployed Nigerians.

Tinubu said Nigeria was ready to lead in the future of work and prepared to meet the demands of the changing world.

The LEEP is a flagship programme of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, with six core pillars comprising job portal, digital nomads, vocational and entrepreneur programme, centre for learning spaces, digital Academy and job fairs.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President, Kashim Shettima, maintained that Nigeria was home to vast opportunities the youths could explore.

The president expressed confidence that Nigeria and by extension Africa, was prepared to become the world’s next destination.

According to him, LEEP was the fulfilment of the promise of a Nigeria where every worker could reach their full potential, and where technology enhances, not threatens democracy.

He had said: “The road ahead may be challenging, but with our collective effort, determination, and faith in our shared potential, we will succeed.

“We are at the threshold of a new era. One, where our workforce is empowered, where our economy is strengthened, and where our people are equipped to compete globally. So this is a declaration that Nigeria is ready to lead in the future of work, we are prepared for the demands of the changing world. I believe we are prepared.

“I believe the future belongs to Africa. The trajectory of global growth faces Africa. One out of every four black men is a Nigerian. By 2050, one out of every three black men will be a Nigerian and by the end of the century, Nigeria will be the most populous nation on Earth, and one out of every two black men will be a Nigerian.”

Migration to Sub-Saharan Africa not new, says ex-ambassador

A former Nigerian ambassador, Mohammed Ibrahim, said such movement has long been a routine practice.

Speaking in a chat with Weekend Trust, Ambassador Ibrahim said: “Some Nigerians for a very long time have been doing such migrations through Niger and Libya to the Canary Islands, and subsequently to enter Europe.”

He explained that the European Union had previously supported successive governments in Niger Republic and other sub- Sahara countries with funds aimed at equipping youths with skills to discourage illegal migration to Europe.

However, he noted that such interventions were halted following the military takeover in Niger two years ago.

“The junta severed ties with France and the EU. I recall that just two or three months after the military took power, they opened doors for migrants to enter Niger massively, with the intention to lubricate and prosper the economic activities of the local populace there. So, that could be one of the reasons migration along that route is now higher,” he said.

Ambassador Ibrahim described the move by the Nigerien military as deliberate, aimed at appeasing the local population benefiting from the influx of migrants.

He also recounted a 2006 diplomatic mission with then German and UK ambassadors, which involved a journey from Tripoli, Libya, through the Sahara Desert to Niger and Nigeria.

The trip, he said, was cut short due to extreme weather conditions encountered in the desert.

Commenting on migration trends, he said the movement of Nigerians to other countries is not one-sided. “The same way people see Nigerians migrating to other countries, many citizens from neighbouring African countries are also trooping into Nigeria in search of better opportunities”. (Daily Trust)