Seven in 10 young Ghanaians have considered moving abroad in search of better opportunities, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey on youth emp
Seven in 10 young Ghanaians have considered moving abroad in search of better opportunities, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey on youth empowerment barriers across Africa.
The report indicates that 71% of Ghanaians aged 18 to 35 have thought about relocating to another country. This includes 63% who say they have given the idea “somewhat” or “a lot” of consideration, while an additional 8% have thought about it “a little bit.”
The findings place Ghana among the African countries with the highest levels of youth migration aspirations, alongside Liberia, The Gambia, and Cabo Verde. This shows a broader continental trend of rising interest in emigration among young people.
Across the continent, Afrobarometer notes that economic hardship remains the dominant driver of this outlook. About 85% of young respondents who have considered leaving their countries cited poverty, unemployment, and the search for better economic opportunities as their main motivations.
The report points to persistent structural challenges confronting Africa’s youth, including limited access to stable and decent employment, as well as heavy reliance on informal sector jobs. These conditions, it notes, continue to widen the gap between education and labour market outcomes in many countries, including Ghana.
Beyond economic concerns, the survey also highlights growing dissatisfaction with local leadership and youth development structures. It found that 66% of young people across Africa rate community leaders poorly in terms of mentoring and preparing the next generation for leadership roles.
This sense of disengagement is also reflected in political participation trends. Afrobarometer reports that only 50% of citizens aged 18 to 25 participated in their country’s most recent national election, compared to higher turnout levels among older youth cohorts.
Despite this, the report notes that young people are not necessarily rejecting democratic governance, but are increasingly prioritising practical outcomes such as job creation, economic empowerment, and improved living conditions over political rhetoric and symbolic reforms.
Afrobarometer’s findings paint a growing concern over youth unemployment and migration intentions, raising questions about the capacity of African economies to retain their young and educated populations in the face of persistent economic pressures
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