BLACK AFRICAN MIGRATION TO THE U.S. INCREASES

BLACK AFRICAN MIGRATION TO THE U.S. INCREASES

 

Dr. LEONARD MADU and Mr. REGINALD PIERRE

Black African migration to the United States is on the increase.though currently small in number, Black Africans are amongst the fastest growing populations in the United States. In 1980, the total of Black foreign born population was 816, 000, only 64, 000 of whom were born in Africa.

 In 2000, there were 574,000 Black african immigrants. By 2009, the total Black immigrant population had quadrupuled to 3.3 million, while the African Black immigrant population had risen to 1.1 million. Also by 2009, there were about 1.7 million Black immigrants from the Caribbean, but Caribbean immigration has slowed down in recent years. between 2000 and 2009, the Black African immigrant population grew by 92 percent, while those from the Caribbean grew by 19 percent.


In 2010, according to World Bank estimates, the United States was the destination of an estimated 4 percent of all African immigrants, ranking it fifth behind France, Ivory Coast, South Africa and Saudi Arabia-and just ahead of Britain, Spain and Italy. However, France and Saudi Arabia primarily receive Arab immigrants from North Africa, while nearly 3/4 of imiigrants to the United States are from Black Africa.

Historically, Black African immigrants have had their origins in West Africa and in Anglophone countries. In 2009, the Anglophone countries of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Cameroon and Sierra leone together account for 46 percent of all Black African immigrants, whereas in 1980, they had accounted for 62 percent. In 1980, Nigeria alone accounted for 37 percent of all Black African immigrants. By 2009, Nigeria's share has fallen to 19 percent.

Black African immigrants are amongst the best educated  U.S. immigrants, but amongst the lowest paid. According to the World Bank's  data, the United States benefits disproportionately from high skilled African immigrants. In 2000, the United States accounted for 37 percent of African skilled immigrants, but only 15 percent to the OECD Countries. By contrast, the  United Kingdom, France and other European countries were destinations for a greater share of low skilled African immigrants.

Currently, Nigeria has the largest number of Black African immigrants in the United States followed by Ethiopia and Ghana.

Here is a list of Black African immigrants by country of origin.
Nigeria-201,000
Ethiopia-143,000
Ghana-110,000
Kenya-88,000
Somalia-67,000
Liberia-64,000
South Sudan-34,000
Sierra Leone-34,000
Cameroon-30,000
Cape Verde-22,000
Eritrea-22,000
Senegal-16,000
Uganda-14,000
South africa-11,000
Guinea-11,000
Zimbabwe-11,000
Tanzania-10,000
Egypt-7,000
Morocco-5,000
Other West Africa-52,000
Other East Africa-22,000
Other African countries-127,000