Patterns of international migration and the dynamics of return movements in Nigeria

Kennedy Eborka, University of Lagos
John Lekan Oyefara, University of Lagos

In the last three decades, there has been tremendous increase in the number of people crossing international borders to other countries, especially from developing countries of Africa and Southeast Asia to Europe; and lately from Africa to the Middle-East and parts of Asia. Reports indicate that many of these movements are irregular and many are equally propelled to return. This paper is an attempt to examine the patterns of international migration and dynamics of return migration in Nigeria. Records indicate that the bulk of return migrants in the country are the repatriated as against voluntary return; while the rates of return of professionals is low. The paper notes that there is the tendency for returnees to contribute to development efforts, but observed that the ability of return migrants to contribute to homeland development is influenced by the destination countries, that is where the migrant is returning from and skills acquired.