International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue X, October 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

Labour Migration: Causes and Patterns in Nigeria

John, Wajim

Department of Sociology, Federal University, Wukari, 200 Katsina-Ala Road, P.M.B 1020 Wukari, Nigeria

Abstract: – This paper examined labour migration: causes and patterns in Nigeria. Labour migration simply connotes migration for the main purpose of employment. Those who are moving from one place to another in search of green pasture or job and those who secured jobs as the result of the movement are called labour migrants or migrant workers. Labour migrants lack legal protection, and insufficient information about their rights makes them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse from recruiters, employers, and authorities. Labour migrants who often work in the informal sector are usually exposed to abuses resulting from xenophobia or fear of strangers and racism especially the international migrants. Findings of this research work revealed that unemployment, poverty and insecurity are the basic causes of labour migration in Nigeria. Unemployment is regarded as the root of poverty in Nigeria. In Nigeria predominantly the graduate unemployment is phenomenally prominent in the recent decades, the state which is essentially as a result of the sharp increase in the tertiary institution turnout. Unemployment, on the other hand, is a situation in which people are actively in need of pay work, they have the requisite skill and ability to do the work but they cannot find it due to some structural factors, seasonal or cyclical. Secondary sources of data were used for the purpose of this paper; and two theories were also reviewed and adopted which include Neo-classical theory of migration and New economic theory of migration. Amongst other recommendations, it’s recommended that entrepreneurship centres should be established within the thirty six states of the federation including FCT Abuja that will be responsible for training the unemployed youths in order to reduce the level of migration within and outside the country so that we shouldn’t lose our labour force.

Keywords: Labour migration, labour migrant, labour force, causes, patterns, Nigeria

I. INTRODUCTION

Labour Migration entails the movement of people who are seeking for job or potential job candidates from one place to another for the main purpose of securing job that will contribute to the changing of their social status which is a common phenomenon in Nigeria Migration, which is the movement of people over defined space and time, is a phenomenon that has been part of humans from creation. Humans have been on the move in quest of overcoming the earth, and to exploit existing resources and socio-economic opportunities for the wellbeing of humans.