Austerity, inequality forcing African youth into desperate migration — ITUC-Africa

The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has blamed worsening inequality, austerity policies, unemployment and weak social protection systems for the wave of dangerous migration among African youths and workers.

Speaking at the 2026 International Migration Review Forum organised by the United Nations Migration Network Group in New York, the continental labour body warned that migration across Africa was increasingly becoming “a last resort,” rather than a voluntary choice.

In a statement delivered by its General Secretary, Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, ITUC-Africa, representing over 18 million workers across 52 African countries, said millions of Africans are being forced out of their countries by economic hardship, insecurity and shrinking opportunities.

“Migration today reflects the fractures of our global system; fractures defined by injustice, economic imbalance, and a failure to deliver dignity and decent work for all,” the organisation stated.

ITUC-Africa said conflict and instability from Sudan to the Sahel had displaced millions of workers and their families, forcing many into dangerous migration routes.

But beyond insecurity, the organisation stressed that economic exclusion and poor governance were major drivers of migration across the continent.

“Economic exclusion, weak labour markets, and failing public systems are pushing people out just as forcefully,” it said.

“Migration in this context is not a choice. It is a last resort.”

The labour body also cited the 2026 Oxfam Inequality Report, saying wealth was increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few, while workers faced stagnant wages and declining protections.

“Public systems are underfunded, while workers face stagnant wages and declining protections,” it noted.

The organisation accused the political elite of diverting public resources from social investment through corrupt practices, leaving workers without adequate social protection.

“When systems fail to provide dignity and opportunity, people move,” ITUC-Africa declared.

The continental workers’ body particularly criticised austerity measures being implemented by several African governments, warning that cuts to public services and reduced social spending were worsening desperation among young people.

READ ALSO: Fubara not legally in APC — Tonye Cole

“Our African governments are implementing austerity measures that continue to place the burden of adjustment on workers,” it stated.

“Cuts to public services, wage suppression, and reduced social spending are pushing young people into precarity. These conditions drive irregular migration and deepen vulnerability.”

ITUC-Africa also raised concerns over illicit financial flows from Africa, saying billions of dollars that should fund development and job creation were being lost annually.

“These are resources that should finance development, create jobs, and build resilience,” it said.

“Africa is not only losing wealth but also its future workforce.”

The organisation further criticised labour migration agreements that prioritise labour export over workers’ rights.

“Migration cannot be treated as an economic escape valve. Labour mobility must be anchored in rights, standards, and social dialogue,” it stressed.

“Workers are not commodities.”

ITUC-Africa also condemned rising xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiments, accusing political actors of using migration to fuel division and extremism.

“Migration is increasingly used to fuel hate, Afrophobia, xenophobia, and extremism,” it warned.

“This is a deliberate political strategy that diverts attention from inequality and governance failures.”

Calling for urgent reforms, the organisation urged governments to end austerity policies, strengthen social protection systems, tackle illicit financial flows and invest in decent work opportunities.

“Migration is not the problem. Inequality is. Injustice is. Failed governance is,” ITUC-Africa declared.

“The rights of migrant workers and their families are not negotiable.”

The organisation reaffirmed the commitment of African trade unions to continue defending migrant workers while pushing for a world where migration becomes a genuine choice rather than an act of desperation.

“Trade unions will continue to organise, defend, and fight for dignity, justice, and a world where migration is a choice, not a necessity,” it stated.