A wind of emigration is blowing through Togo. According to the latest Afrobarometer survey, more than a third of Togolese are seriously considering leaving their country to settle permanently abroad. This trend is particularly prevalent among young people, city dwellers and the better educated.
A growing desire to be elsewhere
The figures speak for themselves: 35 % of Togolese say they have "somewhat" or "very much" thought about emigrating, and a further 17 % have given it "some" thought. Young people aged 18 to 35 (41 %), Lomé residents (44 %) and men (38 %) are more likely to have thought about emigrating.
Preferred destinations
Among those considering exile, North America attracts 40 % of would-be exiles. But the African continent is not to be outdone: 34 % turn to other African countries, notably Nigeria (4 %), West Africa (20 %) or other regions of the continent (10 %). Europe, meanwhile, attracts 14 % of would-be emigrants.
Mainly economically motivated
Why do so many Togolese want to leave? The survey highlights economic reasons:
- 43 % are looking for better job opportunities,
- 26 % flee economic difficulties,
- 18 % mention poverty,
- 7 % hope to develop business opportunities.
A barometer revealing a deep malaise
Conducted by the Center for Research and Opinion Polls (CROP) in November 2024, this Afrobarometer survey is based on a sample of 1,200 Togolese, with a margin of error of +/-3 %. Since 1999, Afrobarometer has been analyzing Africans' perceptions of democracy, governance and quality of life.
These results underline a major challenge for the country: how can we offer Togolese people sufficiently attractive prospects to stem this growing exodus?
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