Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development

This paper tried to establish a strong link between poverty and cross migration of the unemployed and financially strapped Nigerian youths, taking into cognizance other factors responsible for cross border migration such as need for qualitative and quantitative education and skills acquisition, conflict and political persecution, however, this paper argued that poverty-induced migration through regular and irregular routes outside Nigeria is the commonest and most visible push and pull factors of emigration of Nigerians to Europe thus any means to escape poverty. Conversely, poverty as a pull factor is associated with remittances ploughed back home by migrants to help ameliorate the impact of poverty among relatives at home. It therefore concluded that migration of Nigerian youths in (droves) large numbers has contributed in no small measure to taint the image of Nigeria as an entrenched underdeveloped nation; the approach adopted in driving home this argument is qualitative method using a chronological sequence to outline the push and pull factors.

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