Characteristics of Cross-border Migration in Nigerian Border Communities

This study examines the characteristics of cross-border migration in the border communities of Ogun State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 331 cross-border migrants in the study area. The analysis revealed that few employment opportunities, bad economic conditions, poverty, wage differentials, soil infertility, natural disasters, and drought were the underlying push factors predicting the need to earn better income among the migrants, whereas more job opportunities, better economic conditions, less environmental degradation, good access to land, commerce, marriage, the chance to join other family members, better income, good harvest, and soil productivity were the underlying pull factors predicting the choice of destination in Nigeria. Therefore, the study concluded that economic and environmental considerations were the push factors predicting the need to earn better income, whereas environmental, economic, and social considerations were the pull factors predicting the choice of destination in Nigeria.