Who Goes Where and How: Migration as An Adaptation Strategy in the West African Drylands

Abstract

Nigerien migrants flow into Nigeria everyday for several reasons with the hope of a better life. The ease of access into the porous Nigerian border allows the migrants free flow into the country. This research aims at investigating the purposes and patterns of migration in some parts of northern Nigeria with migrants from southern Niger Republic. Data on the migrants’ demographies and migratory histories was collected through in-depth interviews, the Open Data Kit (ODK), Focus Group Discussions and field observations while the analysis was by the use of the Microsoft Excel. Findings indicate southward movement of the people for bida; and ci rani especially during dry seasons. Other forms of migration include environmentally induced, health and educational. Migrants from remote parts of Niger come into Nigeria due to availability of jobs at the destination, good road networking and most importantly the presence of a network of family and friends that assists in securing these jobs. They use cars, lorries and beasts of burden while some simply trek across the border. In Nigeria, migrants lead a solitary life and engage in various new livelihoods. Patterns have been ascertained to be seasonal and circular and take the form of short-term movements which later lengthens to permanence. The seasonal migration (ci rani) has been historically traced to be an adaptive measure popularly practiced by agrarian communities in the drylands. It is recommended that an improved digitalized database system for the migrants be employed to manage their demographies, migration histories and means of livelihood. This will allow for proper accounting and management of both immigrants and emigrants where at a glance, a migrants profile would show their status as circular, returned or lifetime migrants.