61% of Ghanaians considering leaving country – Afrobarometer Survey  

A recent Afrobarometer survey has revealed that a significant majority of Ghanaians are considering emigrating, with economic improvement cited as the primary motivation.

Conducted in December 2024, the survey found that 61 percent of respondents expressed a desire to leave the country, a sharp increase from the 41 percent recorded in 2017.  

Of the 61 percent, 44 percent reported having considered emigration "a lot," while 17 percent said they had considered it "somewhat" or "a little bit."  

The survey also highlighted that 44 percent of Ghanaians have actively thought about leaving the country, a dramatic rise of over 100 percent compared to the 20 percent reported in 2017.  

Reasons for emigration 

The Afrobarometer study, conducted by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development and involving 2,400 adult Ghanaians in August 2024, found that work opportunities were the most significant motivation for emigration, followed closely by economic hardship or poverty.  

Other reasons cited included tourism (three percent), better business prospects (three percent), and education (two percent).  

"The proportion of citizens who have given 'a lot' of thought to emigrating has more than doubled since 2017. The most common reasons are the search for work opportunities and the desire to escape economic hardship," the report stated.  

Demographics of potential emigrants

The survey revealed that the most educated citizens, young people, and unemployed individuals are the groups most likely to consider emigration.  

"Thoughts of emigrating are most common among the most educated citizens (78% of those with post-secondary education) and the youth (72% of 18- to 35-year-olds). More than two-thirds (68%) of people who are currently unemployed have thought about leaving Ghana, while nearly as many part-time workers (65%) and full-time workers (63%) have considered emigration," the report noted.  

Popular destinations  

North America emerged as the most popular destination for potential emigrants (55 percent), followed by Europe (24 percent).  

About Afrobarometer

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Since its establishment in 1999, it has completed nine survey rounds in up to 42 countries.  

The Ghana survey, part of Afrobarometer’s Round 10, involved face-to-face interviews conducted in the respondent’s preferred language. The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development led the research, interviewing a nationally representative sample of 2,400 adults in August 2024.