Nigerien migrants flow into Nigeria everyday for several reasons with the hope of a better life. The ease of access into the porous Nigerian border allows the migrants free flow into the country. This paper explores the purposes, trends and patterns of such movements.
Focus Group Discussions, in-depth interviews and the Open Data Kit (ODK) were the instruments of data collection while the analysis and data presentation was by the use of the Microsoft Excel. Migrants from remote parts of Niger come into Nigeria due to availability of jobs at the destination, good road networking and most importantly the presence of a network of family and friends that assist in securing these jobs. At the destination Nigeria, migrants lead solitary lifestyles which gives them the flexibility to engage in as many jobs as possible and can change in between jobs/location easily. They engage in various new livelihoods which includes Shoeshining/Cobling, water cart pushing ('yan garuwa), day/night time guards, Baking, tea sellers ('yan Shayi), Scrap metal scavenging and trading (Liman, 2021). At the onset of every rainy season, the migrants go back home(origin) for that years' farming season to return back when the produce are well stacked in the silos.
The purposes of migration include for economic (Bida), educational, health and personal adventures, seasonal (Ci Rani) and circular migration. Patterns have indicated that after years of circular (return) migration usually around the sixth to tenth year, the migrants settle down in Nigeria perfecting their newfound livelihoods that are totally non-agrarian therefore known to de-agrarianize. In most cases, the wife back home comes over and a new one joins the household.
The trends show that the migrants spend about 5months from June to October at the origin and returns to the destination to spend 7months from November to May, till the first rains drop.
Keywords: Nigerien|Migrant|Ci Rani|Livelihood|De-agrarianize
A105597ML