Rural-Urban Migration and Livelihoods in South Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Rural-urban migration remains a livelihood strategy employed by the rural populace in the densely populated southeastern region of Nigeria. This study appraises the impact of rural-urban migration on rural livelihoods in southeastern region of Nigeria. Questionnaire surveys on 225 heads of rural households and focus group discussions in each of the five states in the study area were used to elicit information on rural-urban migration and livelihoods characteristics of the rural populace in the past three years. Descriptive statistics, Livelihood Asset Indices technique and Principal Component Analysis were used in data analysis. The results show spatial variations in the impact of migration on livelihoods across the region. Financial and food indices are the most influential livelihood indices while two underlying components namely; financial security and investments by families of migrants’ in the rural areas to improve their quality of life together explain 78.07% of the cumulative variance of the PCA in determining the impact of migration on livelihoods. Based on the findings, it is recommended among other things that educational institutions and small and medium scale industries should be established in the study area. The implementation of these measures will translate to improved quality of life in the region.

Keywords: Impact; Migration; Rural livelihoods; Rural-urban; Southeastern Nigeria