We found that:most African migration happens within Africathe majority of African migrants moving across borders are not fleeing violencethe vast majority of those forced to flee never leave their own country or region, let alone the continent. This means that African migration is predominantly intracontinental, a long-standing trend that has become even more pronounced over time. In 2024, almost 87% of the 12.2 million African refugees and asylum seekers worldwide lived on the African continent. Why these findings matterFirst, the data shows clearly that African migration is not primarily about Europe. Supporting refugee-hosting countries in Africa, expanding legal migration pathways and investing in reliable migration data may ensure more effective migration management.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 29, 2026 15:51 UTC