African migration to Europe: A fact check

In Germany, the topic of migration is political dynamite. According to an October 2024 survey from online portal Statista, about 35% of participants rated the topic of "migration, asylum and foreigners" as the most important societal problem in Germany — more than those who were most concerned about the economy or climate change. Across Europe, the rhetoric around migration has sharpened.

This topic is front of mind for Vit Novotny. He researches migration at the Wilfried Martens Center for European Studies, a Brussels-based think tank which is aligned with the conservative European People's Party. "There are few topics for which public opinion and the facts are so far apart," he told DW. As an expert on migration, he spends a lot of time battling false claims with facts and figures.

The chair of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Nathalie Delapalme, also sees this as a major task. The Frenchwoman has been working in Africa-Europe relations for many years. "These misunderstandings lead to political decisions which are not suitable for the actual challenges," she said.

These are five common assumptions about migration from Africa which, according to the data, are either false or must be considered in a more nuanced way.

'All African migrants want to come to Europe'

Increasing numbers of people from Africa are indeed leaving their home countries. According to the latest UN study, the number of African migrants increased by 30% between 2010 and 2020.

However, most, about 80%, remain on the African continent. The vast majority move to neighboring countries or to regions that are experiencing rapid economic growth, such as West Africa or South Africa, to look for work there. Relatively few people attempt to find new homes in Europe.

'Africa is a continent in crisis especially affected by migration'

This claim demands a look at the big picture. According to the UN, the total number of African migrants in the year 2020 was 40.6 million. This equates to 14.5% of the worldwide total.

This is significantly smaller than the proportion from Asia (41%) or from Europe (22.5%). That means that more migrants came from European or Asian countries than from African ones.

'Most African migrants are fleeing war and poverty'

Although Europe takes in many asylum-seekers from Africa, most migrants come to Europe for economic reasons, such as to study or work, or to reunite with family. According to the United Nations refugee agency, only 8% of African migrants in the EU are refugees. And about nine out of 10 migrants travel to Europe legally: by plane, not aboard a smuggler's boat.

"If we had to choose a picture of an African who is coming to the EU," said migration expert Novotny, "it is more likely to be one of someone waiting at the airport gate with their passport and ticket in hand."

'Migration of skilled workers will lead to a brain drain for Africa'

In September, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Kenyan President William Ruto signed a labor and migration agreement. It will allow for about 250,000 skilled workers — among them doctors, bus drivers and engineers — from Kenya to come to Germany. The agreement is designed to ease the pressure Germany is facing from its skilled labor shortage due to an aging population. In turn, the young, eager Kenyan workers will be able to find positions that are scarce in their home country.

But what do African countries think when their qualified young adults emigrate? Does this brain drain harm the continent? Research shows there is plenty of nuance: Even if the emigration of young people initially leads to a loss of skilled labor, those migrants contribute to the development of their home countries in the long term via remittances and knowledge transfer.

"Remittances from migrants is one of the most important sources of finance for African countries," explained Delapalme. Each year, migrants send back home sums of money equal to the total from official development cooperation and direct foreign investment combined.

"Migrants bring resources to Africa which would otherwise have to come from additional, larger direct investments from third countries," she said.

'Climate refugees will soon overrun Europe'

Headlines such as "The great climate migration has begun" in The New York Times or "Migration will soon be the biggest climate challenge of our time" in the Financial Times stir up fears of a mass exodus to Europe due to climate change. While the consequences of global warming — such as droughts, rising sea levels and extreme weather events — are real and threatening, studies show people in affected regions frequently stay in their home countries and try to adapt, instead of moving far away.

Migration is also expensive. It requires resources that many affected people in at-risk regions lack, especially if they have lost everything in a climate disaster. "It is not scientifically proven that climate change really leads to international migration," said Novotny.

False images, real consequences

Delapalme, who has traveled throughout Africa for decades, explains that misconceptions have real-life costs, something also proved by a new study by the pan-African nonprofit Africa No Filter. She emphasized that migration policies based on feelings instead of facts could undermine trust between the two continents.

It's important to consider migration from Africa in a nuanced way, and not lump it together under the banner of "Lampedusa," she said, in reference to the Italian island in the central Mediterranean which has become a symbol for illegal migration. She said a balance must be struck between facts, public opinion and politics.

"If there are only two of these elements, it doesn't work," she said.

This article was originally written in German.