Africa’s migrant workforce has grown significantly over the past decade, reaching an estimated 13.1 million workers in 2026, according to the latest Labour Migration Statistics Report released by the African Union (AU). Despite the increase in labour migration across the continent, women remain underrepresented, accounting for just 37 percent of migrant workers, while men make up the remaining 63 percent.
The Fourth Edition of the Labour Migration Statistics Report in Africa reveals that the continent is home to approximately 26 million international migrants. Of these, 20.4 million are of working age, with nearly two-thirds actively participating in the labour force. The findings highlight the growing importance of labour migration in supporting Africa’s economies while also exposing persistent gender disparities in employment opportunities.
The report was officially launched on 31 July during the Ministerial Session of the Sixth Ordinary Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Social Development, Labour and Employment in Windhoek, Namibia. The publication is produced every two years to monitor labour migration trends and guide evidence-based policymaking across African Union member states.
Speaking at the launch, African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, Ambassador Amma A. Twum-Amoah, stressed the importance of reliable migration statistics in shaping effective policies.
“We cannot effectively govern what we do not adequately measure,” she said, noting that timely, accurate and disaggregated migration data remains essential for improving labour migration governance across the continent.
The report shows that West Africa and East Africa together host nearly half of all international migrants in Africa. Meanwhile, West, East and Southern Africa account for approximately 78 percent of the continent’s migrant workforce, reflecting the strong concentration of labour mobility within these regions.
Gender disparities remain evident across all Regional Economic Communities. Male migrant workers outnumber women in every region, with the widest imbalance recorded in the Arab Maghreb Union, where men represent 78 percent of the migrant workforce.
Young people continue to play a major role in labour migration. According to the report, Africa has approximately 6.1 million migrant workers aged between 15 and 35 years, with men making up around 60 percent of this age group. To support youth employment and regional mobility, the African Union, through its Joint Labour Migration Programme (JLMP), is working with Regional Economic Communities to facilitate the movement of skilled workers across borders and improve the recognition of skills acquired outside formal education systems.
The report also highlights the growing economic contribution of migrants through remittances. Money sent home by migrants increased from US$64.8 billion in 2013 to US$97.5 billion in the latest reporting period. Northern Africa receives approximately 45 percent of these remittances, while West Africa accounts for around 34 percent, underlining the critical role migration plays in supporting households and national economies.
Despite the progress in labour migration monitoring, the African Union acknowledges that significant challenges remain. Many member states continue to face limited institutional capacity, inconsistent data collection systems and a lack of harmonised migration methodologies, making it difficult to produce comprehensive and comparable migration statistics.
Yitna Getachew, the International Organization for Migration’s Chief of Mission for South Africa and Sub-Regional Director for Southern Africa, said improving migration governance will require greater investment in digital systems and stronger cooperation among African countries.
He noted that expanding digital administrative platforms, developing interoperable databases and strengthening institutional capacity will be essential to producing accurate migration data and supporting informed policymaking.
The Labour Migration Statistics Report was developed under the technical leadership of the Joint Labour Migration Programme in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Labour Organization (ILO), Statistics Sweden, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The latest findings underscore Africa’s growing labour mobility while highlighting the need for stronger policies to promote gender equality, improve labour market access and strengthen migration data systems as the continent continues to integrate its workforce across regional borders.