Cotonou City Profile

Migration trends and migrant characteristics

Migration as we all know is the act of moving to live from one place, city, country or continent to another one. In order to have a better understanding we need to look at the following:

1. Key factor driving migration and general cross-border mobility
2. Immigration and/ or Emigration
3. Irregular migration (primary focus of the study)
4. History of migrants to the city and specific geographic enclaves (Lagos-Cotonou)

Key factor driving migration and general cross-border

Many factors are driving migration and general cross-border mobility in Benin republic like in other countries. Benin republic as a country presents a number of attractive factors which are key in driving migration into the country. And the key factors are the political stability of the country since 1990, its maritime coast and its location in the prosperity zone of West Africa.

Immigration

The activities of the tertiary sector and those of the primary sector are the motivating factors of migrant workers from West Africa. Figure 9 shows the level of attraction of West African immigrants linked to factors in the formal or informal economy of the departments of Benin. There is a high concentration of West African immigrants in the Littoral. Cotonou being the economic metropolis of Benin, this city constitutes a source of attraction for immigrants from all origins and wishing to work in Benin in the formal tertiary sector or not. It should also be noted that large cohorts of West African immigrants have settled in the departments of Mono, Atlantique, Ouémé, Collines, Donga, Borgou and ‘Alibori. These cohorts are between 6765 and 14160 immigrants. And very few of them have settled in the departments of Couffo, Zou, Plateau and Atacora. These are the cohorts of 14,160 to 19,839 immigrants. These are departments that are experiencing internal displacement of populations to other departments such as Collines and Borgou.

Irregular migration

Irregular migration as its name refers is the type of immigration that is practiced illegally. That is to say, it is the act of immigrating illegally or immigrating without fulfilling the required conditions. Within the framework of ECOWAS we realised that any citizen of ECOWAS wishing to migrate within the ECOWAS countries must provide an International or an ECOWAS passport that he will present either at the land border or at the airport before boarding. But nowadays, the passport is mostly used at the airport. And for those who are travelling by road are not really using their passport to cross the border. Because having the passport does not guarantee the easy crossing of the border. Most of them need to pay (N500- N1, 000) for their passport to be stamped. Some show virtually no identification card. They only need to pay N500-N1, 000 to cross the border. The most common practice at the borders of Nigeria and Benin is the crossing of the border by motorcycles. These motorcycles operate at the borders used to help prospective migrants to cross in exchange for a sum of N1, 000-N1, 500. After crossing borders, no formality or documentation is required. And the latter integrate socio-economic life.

History of migrants to the city

The history of the number of immigrants shows that Benin had 34,019 immigrants in 1960. This stock was only doubled in 1990 when Benin rose to 76,212 immigrants. In 1995, this stock of immigrants in Benin reached 104,971 while in 2010, this number was 209,267 immigrants. Between 1990 and 2015, the migratory stock increased from 76,212 to 245,399 immigrants, or approximately 322% in 25 years. The average annual flow during the period from 1960 to 2015 and especially the observation of the series from 1995 to 2015 better reveals the gradual increase in the trend of immigration to Benin. One could rightly say that Benin has certainly remained a country of emigration, but more and more is its tendency to also be a country of immigration is strengthening. We observe that the average annual increase is 3,843 migrants from 1960 to 2015. But from one series to another the variation is very significant and coincides with important milestones of the implicit or explicit policy. Thus, the average annual flow between 1960 and 1975 was 1,090 immigrants, that from 1975 to 1990 was 1,721 immigrants, while the average annual migratory flow was 5,752 per year between 1995 and 2000. These average annual flows increased during the decade. 2000 and remained constant from 2000 to 2005 and from 2005 to 2010. They revolve around 7,554 immigrants. For the series from 1990 to 2015, the average annual flows are 6,767 immigrants in Benin. The increasingly important flows of immigrants in Benin coincide with the period of stabilization of the institutions of Democratic Renewal emanating from the National Conference of February 1990. Political stability, respect for human rights, freedom of enterprise, liberalism economy and regained confidence, appear as factors of attraction of immigrants in Benin. In this context, immigrants have developed a positive view of the destination of Benin. The major challenge here is the preservation of these factors of political stability sensed by candidates for migration (Banégas, 2004).

Key migration linkages

Who are the people moving from Nigeria to Benin republic and what are they moving?

Trans-border movement is not a single process or a once-and-for- all activity, but a ‘form’ of migration in its own right, with distinct features. Movements across a border may comprise normal everyday movement and conventional migration – which could be regarded as being both internal and international. Some aspects of the uniqueness of this form of migration are its spontaneity, the complexity of its pattern and the categories of the movers. Its spontaneity is evident from its almost impulsive and repetitious manner of occurrence. The complexity of its pattern stems from the fact that the same socio-cultural group is found on both sides of the border (Afolayan, 2004). Nigerians move from their country to Benin Republic considering the similarities of culture. They equally move for business opportunity and the quest for a better life according to the feedback we got from some Nigerians we interviewed in Cotonou, Benin republic. Some said they left Nigeria due to the fact that they don’t believe in our leaders. While some said they saw some business opportunity in Cotonou that will help them achieve their dream.

 The sharp depreciation of the naira since1986 and the growing attractiveness of the franc CFA for Nigerian traders are major factors that help to explain the regional dynamics of the two countries and the high level of official and undocumented trade between them. Foodstuffs such as foreign rice, frozen chicken/turkey and tinned foods, beverages, soaps are the main items of trade among traders both at the Benin republic border and in the city of Cotonou.

Migrant enjoyment of right, education, employment, housing and citizenship

Migrants in Benin and most especially in Cotonou have not complained of bad treatment from either the public authorities or the Beninese. All the migrants interviewed said they are all enjoying their rights. They said not to have experienced any form of discrimination. They are their family members have right to education, housing. As per the employment they can be employed in the informal sector and private, but cannot be employed in the public sector except if they have the Beninese citizenship. The Beninese citizenship can only be gotten after following due process for application.

Impact of migration

Impact of migration on migrant

People most time migrate in the quest for a better life. Which imply that they leave their homes to a more comfortable zone. As a consequence, many migrants experience a large increase in income when they move to richer economies e.g. a Nigerian or Beninese migrating from Nigeria or Benin republic to France or United Kingdom has the currency advantage over his counterpart in Nigeria or Benin due to the exchange rate and a good pay in his favour. The gains from migration are larger the younger the migrant is because younger migrants have a longer lifetime ahead of them to benefit from the extra income; hence the present discounted gains from migration are higher (IMF, 2020 WEO). Other factors in favor are the level of education and other skills acquired that are high in the destinations countries. The aforementioned factors play a vital role in the profile of people who migrate.

Impact of migration on destination country

International migration has oh advantage and disavantages. It is both a challenge and an opportunity for destination countries. On the one hand, especially in the short run, immigrants can create challenges in local labor markets, potentially affecting wages and displacing some native workers who compete with them. Their arrival may also impose a short-term fiscal cost. On the other hand, especially in the medium and long run, immigrants can boost output, create new opportunities for local firms and native workers, supply abilities and skills needed for growth, generate new ideas, stimulate international trade and contribute to long-term fiscal balance, by making the age distribution of advanced countries more balanced.

Impact of migration on origin countries

Remittances are perhaps the most highly visible and tangible benefit of emigration to the origin countries. On a global level, the World Bank estimates officially recorded remittances at $548 billion in 2019, more than three times the volume of official development assistance and comparable in size to total FDI flows. Not surprisingly, remittances have become a major source of inflows in many countries. They are often in the range of 15-20 percent of GDP, and in some exceptional cases, can reach 30-40 percent of GDP (Tonga, Haiti, Kyrgyz Republic).

Migration governance

Policy framework- national migration policy and priorities

The Treaty establishing ECOWAS was signed in Lagos on 28 May 1975. Article 27 states the long-term objective of establishing a Community citizenship, which should be granted automatically to all Member States’ nationals. Seven years later, the Supplementary Protocol A/SP3/5/82 set out the definition of a Community Citizen. The Treaty was revised on 24 July 1993 in order to pursue the following goals: a) promote cooperation and integration between Member States to establish an economic union in West Africa, b) maintain and enhance economic stability, c) foster relations among Member States, and d) contribute to the development of the African continent.

As stated in Article 3 of the revised Treaty, the Community considers the “removal between Member States, of obstacles to the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital, and to the right of residence and establishment” one of its major goals. Article 59 of the revised Treaty establishes ECOWAS citizenship and affirms the right of citizens of the Community to entry, residence, and establishment: “Citizens of the community shall have the right of entry, residence and establishment and Member States undertake to recognise these rights of Community citizens in their territories in accordance with the provisions of the Protocols relating thereto”.

            1979 ECOWAS Protocol relating to the Free Movement of Persons, the Right of Residence and Establishment and supplementary protocols

Four years after the establishment of the Community in 1979, the ECOWAS Member States signed the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, the Right of Residence and Establishment in Dakar to enable free movement of ECOWAS citizens61 within the region. The protocol stipulates the right of Community citizens to enter, reside, and establish businesses in Member States, to be granted over a transitional period of 15 years through three phases. Phase I eliminated the need for visas for stays of up to 90 days in ECOWAS Member States by Community citizens. Phase II regulated Community citizens’ right of residence on Community territory for the purpose of seeking and taking up paid employment. Phase III aims at facilitating the establishment of businesses through the right of Community citizens to carry out economic activities in other ECOWAS Member States. The protocol was further complemented by four supplementary protocols with a view to operationalising the three phases. Phase I came into force in 1980 with the ratification of the 1979 Protocol by all Member States, while Phase II came into force in 1986. Phase III has not yet been implemented.

The four supplementary protocols are the following:

i the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/7/85 on the Code of Conduct for the implementation of the Protocol on Free Movement, Right of Residence and Establishment;

ii the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/7/86 on the second phase (Right of Residence) of the Protocol on Free Movement, Right of Residence and Establishment;

iii. the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/6/89 amending and complementing the provisions of Article 7 of the Protocol on Free Movement, Right of Residence and Establishment; and

1. the Supplementary Protocol A/SP.2/5/90 on the implementation of the Third Phase (Right of Establishment) of the Protocol on Free Movement, Right of Residence and Establishment.

In addition, in 1985, the ‘Decision A/DEC.2/7/85 on the Establishment of a Travel Certificate for ECOWAS Member States’ was adopted. Furthermore, in 1990, the ‘Decision C/DEC.3/12/92 on the Introduction of a Harmonized Immigration and Emigration Form in ECOWAS Member States’ was adopted, which sets the requirement for ECOWAS Member States to establish a harmonised immigration and emigration form.

It should be noted that, at the time of writing, a revision of the ECOWAS Protocols relating to the Free Movement was underway. The details of the approved and envisaged changes are referred to in the subsections below. Furthermore, the development of a regional migration policy is planned based on the conviction that a strong regulatory framework on migration will help to overcome the challenges in the implementation of the 1979 Protocol relating to the Free Movement of Persons and the Rights of Residency and Establishment and its supplementary protocols.