Informal Employment and Inequality: Implications for Migration in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Rashidat Sumbola Akande
Hauwah K.K AbdulKareem
Sodiq Jimoh
Taofeekat Temitope NOFIU

Abstract

A sizable level of informal employment, often stemming from social disparities and limited economic opportunities, can have great implications for migration in Sub-Sahara Africa. Similarly, inequality, particularly unequal access to economic resources in the formal sector, can serve as a key driver for migration as people seek better opportunities. Therefore, this study investigates the individual impact of the size of informal employment and inequality on migration within the region by examining the individual effects of informal employment and inequality as well as their interactive effect on migration. Utilizing System GMM method of analysis, the study examined the data from 43 Sub-Saharan African countries from 2009 to 2022. The findings suggest that both informal employment and inequality positively influence migration flows in the region. Additionally, the analysis shows that the interaction between informal employment and inequality exerts a negative effect on migration flow.

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Articles (refereed)
Author Biographies

Rashidat Sumbola Akande , Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria

Dr Rashidat Sumbola Akande is a Lecturer at Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria. Her broad area of research interest is economic growth and development, with a focus on the informal economy, migration, sustainable development, and gender studies. Rashidat holds an MSc in Finance and Economics from the University of Southampton, UK, and a PhD in Economics from Kwara State University, Nigeria. She is a recipient of the Grooming Center’s University Grant for postgraduate research in 2022 and in 2023, she was selected as a Queen Elizabeth-Advanced Scholar – West Africa (QE-AS-WA), a program that supports innovative research and cross-cultural academic exchange for West African emerging female scholars. Rashidat’s academic contributions include published research in peer-reviewed journals and presentations in international conferences. Her ongoing research focuses on the convergence of informality, migration and sustainable development in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Hauwah K.K AbdulKareem, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria

Hauwah K. K. AbdulKareem is a Development Economist and an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Economics and Development Studies, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria. She is a West African Research Association (WARA) grant awardee (Ideas Matter Doctoral Research Fellow), a Grooming Centre University Grant recipient and a PhD Thesis Award winner of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES). She has authored and co-authored several scholarly publications in top-tier national and international peer-reviewed journals, publishing widely in her areas of expertise – economic, gender and sustainable development. She also serves as a Reviewer for high-ranking international journals in the area of economics and development.

Sodiq Jimoh, Kwara Sate University, Malete, Nigeria

Dr. Sodiq Olaiwola Jimoh is a lecturer and researcher at Kwara State University, Nigeria, specializing in International Economics. He obtained his Ph.D. in International Economics from the Universiti of Sains Malaysia in 2022. His research interests encompass economic integrations, sustainable development, trade, and finance. Dr. Jimoh has made significant contributions to the field through his publications in reputable national and international journals, focusing on international macroeconomics. Moreover, he has actively served as a reviewer for esteemed journals, demonstrating his commitment to advancing scholarship in the field of international economics.

Taofeekat Temitope NOFIU, Kwara State University

Dr. Taofeekat Temitope Nofiu is a Lecturer II in the Department of Economics and Development Studies at Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria. She holds a B.Sc in Economics from the same institution and earned her MSc and Ph.D. degrees in Economics, specializing in Agricultural and Development Economics. Previously known as Dr. Sulaimon, Dr. Nofiu is a key contributor to the Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (AI4SARD) Research Network, focusing on Agricultural and Development Economics. She is a proud member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Nigeria (ICAN) and the Nigeria Economics Association, showcasing her dedication to professional growth and academic excellence.