VOL. 5, NO.

4, April 2015

ISSN 2225-7217

ARPN Journal of Science and Technology

2011-2015. All rights reserved.
http://www.ejournalofscience.org

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Rural-Urban Migration in Wukari

Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria
1

Bello Umar Danejo, 2 Lawan Usman Abubakar, 3 Musa .A. Haruna, 4 Ruikaiya Abubakar Usman,
5
Bashir Mohammed Bawuro
1, 2,3,4,5

Department of Agricultural Extension and Management, College of Agriculture P.M.B 1025 Jalingo Taraba State
Correspondence: 5 bmbawuro@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The study examined the Socio-economic Factors Influencing Rural-urban migration in Wukari Local Government Area of
Taraba State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to investigate the socio-economic factors affecting youth rural-urban
migration, the prevailing condition that leading to youth migration to the urban area; the cities migrated to and activities
engage in by migrating youth and the income generating by the migrating youth. A well-structured questionnaire was used
to solicit information from sixty randomly selected migrants and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square
analysis. The result of the study revealed that majority of the migrants were male (78.3%), single from 18years and above
are literate. The study also revealed that majority of the migrant migrated to Jalingo, Taraba state capital city due to lack of
social amenities and employment in their original place of residence and for educational pursuance. The result further
revealed that, the migrant engaged themselves in one form of business or the other that generated certain amount of money.
The chi-square analysis revealed a non-significant relationship between the age of migrants and the reason for their
migration in search for better employment (X2=10.83 p value= 0.37).Based on findings of the research it is concluded that,
though migration of the youth to the cities has detrimental effect on the agricultural productivity but the income generated
help a lot in solving some domestic financial problems. The study recommended that, government and non-governmental
organization should encourage high quality rural labour force that provides high salaries and benefit, better housing, social
amenities, low income tax rate and sanitation to the rural areas.
Keywords: Youth, Rural-urban, Migration, Factors, Wukari

1. INTRODUCTION
Human being have desires for many things in
life, particularly those that are very essential to their wellbeing such as food, shelter, good water and good medical
facilities for these reason people have continued to move
from one place to another in search for better living
condition in their lifetime the movement could be
temporary or permanent depending on the causes. One of
the most noteworthy demographic phenomena faced by
many developing countries in the world is the shortage of
labour and food insecurity and conversely the rapid
population growth in the urban centres, which is largely
caused by the prevalence of rural-urban migration (Agesa
and Kim, 2001). Rural-urban migration is a double-edge
problem affecting both rural and urban communities.
Aworemiet al., (2011) contend that the rural
community is affected because the youth and adults who
are supposed to remain and contribute to the development
of agriculture in particular and the community in general
leave the rural areas for the cities. The lost labour of ablebodied men and women could likely lead to decline in
agricultural production (Regmi and Tisdel, 2002,
Anagloet al., 2014). According to UN Report (2013),
despite the lack of reliable data on the internal migrants it
assumed that 40%of the migrants originated from the rural
areas and many of them are youth with high propensity to
migrate. Aworemiet al, (2011). The unavailability of
livelihood requirement especially the social amenities and
job opportunities in the rural areas lead to massive
migration of the youth to urban centre in search of greener
pasture. In view of the vital role played by the youth in
assisting household heads left in the rural area it become

imperative to examine the socio-economic factors

influencing rural-urban migration in the study area:
It is specifically aimed at:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Investigating the socio-economic factors

influencing youth rural-urban migration;
The prevailing condition[s][which are] leading to
youth migration to the urban areas;
The cities migrated to and activities engage[d] in
by migrating youth and;
The income generated by the migrating youth.

2. METHODOLOGY
The study was carried out in Wukari Local
Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. Wukari town
lies on longitude 7o57 and latitude 9o42 east of the equator
it is situated at about 222 kilometers away from Jalingo
Taraba State Capital, it has an area of 4,308km2 and a
population of 241, 546 people (NPC, 2006). The area is
inhabited by number of ethnic group; prominent among
them is the Jukun, which is the main tribe, other tribes
like Fulani, Hausa, Jiru, Shomo, Tiv and Chamba are
found in the co-existing with the Jukun.
About three quarter of the population is crop
farmers while other is cattle readers and fishermen
(Oruonye and Abbas, 2011). Important crop cultivated in
the area include; Rice, Groundnut, Maize, Yam, cassava,
Millet, Guinea corn, Melon etc. Most of the farmers
cultivates small plots of land such as one hectares,
farming activities usually starts around March with
clearing of land.

201

VOL. 5, NO. 4, April 2015

ISSN 2225-7217

ARPN Journal of Science and Technology

2011-2015. All rights reserved.
http://www.ejournalofscience.org

2.1 Sampling Procedures and Sample Size

The sample frame for the study consisted of the
entire ten ward in Wukari Local Government Area of
Taraba State. Three wards were purposively selected for
the study because of high number of youth that ever
migrated to the cities. The selected ward are Bantaje,
Tsokundi and Jibu from each of the ward two villages
were selected and ten respondents were randomly selected
from each of the village making the sample size of the
study to constitute sixty which questionnaire were
administered and all retrieved and used for data analysis.
2.2 Method of Data Collection and Analysis
Both primary and secondary data were used for
the study. The primary and secondary data were obtained
through administered of well-structured questionnaire to
the respondents and the secondary sources of the
information were restricted to seminar papers, Journal,
textbook and pass students projects. The data obtained
were subjected to descriptive statistics, percentage and
frequency distribution and inferential statistics in form of
Chi-square.
2.3 Measurement of Variables
This study considered two sets of variable;
depended variable which was socio-economic factors
influencing migration of youth and independent variable
which include the reasons for migration and types of
activities engaged in by the measure in years, marital
status of the measure in single, married, divorced and
widow; educational attainment of the migrants was
measured best on non-formal education, primary
education, secondary education, tertiary education;
household size of the migrant was measured based on the
number of the people in the house. The rural-urban
migration of youth was measured based on the reasons for
migrations such as lack of basic social amenities, search
for Job, household, food security, looking for better
education, ethno religion crisis etc.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Socio-Economic Characteristics of the Migrant
Age
As indicated in Table 1, Majority (56.7%) of the
migrants fall within the age range 18-21years 20% of the
migrants were within the age of 22-25 years, 13.3% of
them are within 26-30 year while only 10% of the migrant
were within the age of 31-35 years. This show that
majority of the migrants were within their youthful stage
of development, a stage when a child begins to operate
independently from the parents and it is assumed that at
this age, award could be allowed by the parent to travels
out. These implications have the strength and risks
bearing ability associated with such population
movement. This statement is in accordance with UN
(2003) that majority of the youth moving out of the rural
area to urban centres were between the ages of 12-24years
were majority of them tend to engage more frequently in
temporary forms of migration.

3.2 Sex
As shown in the finding of table 1 majority
78.3% are male while 21.7% of the migrants are female.
This finding could due to the fact that females are not
allowed to migrate outside their communities in this part
of the country to search for work based on the culture and
tradition except those females who have been able to
attained higher level of education that are allow to migrate
and search for better Jobs in the cities. Only males are
allowed to migrate outside their communities to search for
work for sustenance of the family and also involved in
tedious work while the other females that are less
educated are left with child bearing and the household
chores (Angoet al., 2011) Ajearoet al., (2013) in their
research reported that majority of the migrants were males
to succeed, therefore, they usually migrate early in life
and when they have stabilized, they may come back to
take their family members or to marry.
On the other hand Rajan (2013) report
contradicted the finding were he posits that the percentage
of female 30%) migrants in India is more than that of
male (27%) this is because migration is considered as
widely employed survival strategy among the Indians
youth and alternate route towards engaging in the market
and economy. Marital status: the result in the table 1
indicated that, majority of the migrant (71.7%) were
single while 29.3% were married. This finding indicated
that majority of the migrants were single which makes it
easy for them to travel back home due to less
responsibility of caring for wife and children. This finding
is in conformity with the finding of Abdur-Rokib and
Abdul-Goni., 2011), Ehirimet al (2012), Pradhan (2013)
and Angoet al (2014). That the single people among the
members of the society migrated more than the married
migrants, who could be attributed to the fact that those
were married, may find it difficult to move without their
household members.
3.3 Educational level
As indicated in the findings of Table 1, 43.3% of
the migrants had attained secondary school education,
28.3% of them attained tertiary school education, while
16.7% and 11.7% of the migrant attained primary and
non-formal education respectively. The result of the study
also implies that none of the migrants were illiterate as
they had attained one form of education or the other. This
finding is in line with Pradha (2013) who in a similar
study in India reported that almost all the respondents in
this study area were literate except very few (1.1%).
3.4 Household Size of Migrants
The findings of this study in Table 1, further
indicated that, (43.3%) of the migrants were from the
household size of 1-7 people, 25% were from family size
of 8-11 people, 20% from 12-14 people family size while
11.7% of the migrant were from the household size of 15
people and above. This showed that most of the migrant
from rural area of Northern Nigeria were from large
households (1 and more than 15 family members), which

202

VOL. 5, NO. 4, April 2015

ISSN 2225-7217

ARPN Journal of Science and Technology

2011-2015. All rights reserved.
http://www.ejournalofscience.org

might be the reason behind unavailability of enough

resources to carter for the whole members) of the family.
This therefore makes it difficult for the head of
the household to provide adequate sponsorship for the
education and other training for the all family, rather the
member provide cheap farm labour for the family. This
finding is in agreement with Ehirimet al., (2012) and
Angoet al., (2014) reported that, the household size of a
rural people is always much when compared to its
counterpart living in the city because of their dependence
on the family as a source of farm labour. The finding of
Osundo and Ibezim (2013) were in disagreement of the
finding, were they reported that the household member in
their study area (the Southern Nigeria) was small (1 more
than 10 family size) which has negative implication on
farm labour supply.
3.5 Condition Responsible for the Migration of Youth
Migration literatures proved that people migrated
out of their original place of residence due to certain
reasons that affect them differently. As indicated in the
findings in table 2, majority (93.3%) of the migrants
migrated to the cities due to conflict that affected their
area of residence, 63.3% search for better employment,
56.7% migrated to improved livelihood welfare, 53.3%
migrated to join family member in the city, 48.3%
migrated because of lack of social facilities, 50%
migrated to look for money through labour, 38.3%
migrated to change environment, 26.6% migrated because
of crop failure and famine and 15% migrated because of
better housing in the city. The findings imply that
majority of the migrants migrated to the cities as result of
conflict, lack of social amenities, search for better
employment, to improve livelihood welfare and for the
purpose of furthering education which are not available in
their original place of residence but consequently found in
the cities.
This findings agree with the finding(s) of
Aromolaran (2013) reported that the important factors
responsible for youth rural-urban migration includes
education needs, skills acquisition in various vacations,
seeking for means of livelihood, boredom in agriculture,
inadequate social amenities and expulsion due to offence
and crime committed.
3.6 Places of Migration
The findings of the study in Table 3, revealed
that 50% of the migrants migrated to Jalingo the capital
city of Taraba State, 16.7% migrated to Yola, 13.3%
migrated to Abuja and 6.7% migrated to Jos while only
3.3% migrated to Kano State. As indicated in the finding,
most of the migrants migrated to Jalingo due to
information obtained from those people that ever migrated
that Jalingo has abundant social infrastructural facilities,
high rate of job opportunities, better education, its serene
environmental nature as well as it closeness to their
homes. This finding reveals that migration of the youth is
been motivated and encouraged by the community
members that ever migrated. This finding is in agreement

with Pradhan (2013) that majority of the migrants have

migrated through the influence and contact by other
villagers. The visible change in the financial status of
pervious migrants was finding as the motivating factors of
migration pattern among the younger migrants.
Business engaged in by migrants in the cities as
shown in the finding in table 3,(45%) of the migrants
engaged in commercial tricycle(KekeNAPEP), 23.3%
engaged in petty trading, 13.4% of the migrant engaged in
studies, 10% of the migrants engaged in labourer work
while 8.3% commercial carriers. The finding implies that
majority of the migrant engaged in one form of business
or the other that provides them with certain amount of
money which is used and some are remitted to their parent
at home. The finding also indicates that only few of the
migrants that were involved in office or government
work. This finding disagrees with Ehirimet al., (2012) that
rural people migrating to the cities end up in petty
business and labour work.
3.7 Income Generated By the Migrating Youth
The findings in table 4 depict that 38.3% of the
migrants earned between N30, 200 N40, 000 per month,
31.7% earned between N20, 200 N30, 000, 10% of the
migrant earned between N5200 to N10, 000 per month
and 8.3% earned more than N50, 000 per month while
5.0% of the migrant earned less than or equal to N5000
per month respectively. This implies that, the businesses
engaged in by the migrant was an income generating
venture when compared with those idle in the village
where youth are only fully engaged during the rainy
season of the year. This makes of the monies redeemed to
their parents purposely to fill the gap of their absence and
at the same time reduce the level of poverty affecting
family members at home. This findings is in accordance
with Osundu and Ibezim study (2013) that most of the
migrants earned monthly income of between N5,000
N31,000.
3.8 Hypothesis Testing Result
The result of null hypothesis between some
selected socio-economic characteristics (age, occupation,
marital status) of the migrants and some selected reason
for migration (search for better employment, further
education and lack of social infrastructure) for migration
using chi-square analysis revealed that age of the migrants
and the reason for their migration in search of better
employment outside their communities (Table 5).
Also indicated in the table 5 chi-square analysis
result proved a significant relationship between the age of
migrants and lack of infrastructural facilities warranting
their migration to the cities (X2 = 4.48 P value =0.92).
This indicated that the null hypothesis is rejected. This
implies that the age of the migrants had influence on
leaving their original place of residence. This is because
the rural communities lacked social amenities which are
the important factors that determine the rate of
development of a community and reduction of the rate of
migration of the able body youth to the cities.

203

VOL. 5, NO. 4, April 2015

ISSN 2225-7217

ARPN Journal of Science and Technology

2011-2015. All rights reserved.
http://www.ejournalofscience.org

development between the urban and rural area is

substantially eliminated. This would make the youths sort
what they go in search for in the urban areas, within the
rural areas and therefore remain in there.

The chi-square analysis result in table 5 further

revealed that there is significant relationship between the
educational levels of the migrant searching for better
employment in the cities. The findings also indicated that
the level of education of the migrants determined the type
of employment to search for those migrants with
educational qualification beyond secondary school are
expected to obtain a better job.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
As a result of this study, it is hereby
recommended that, policy makers in Nigeria should carry
out an intense effort to transform the rural area
holistically, by making available sufficient socioeconomic and infrastructural amenities such as higher
income earning jobs, educational (especially tertiary
education) facilities, sanitation, health services, electricity
motor able roads (including the farm roads), pipe borne
water, good housing condition, financial institution, small
and medium scale industries and other basic socioeconomic services for the rural dwellers. A concerted
effort should also be made towards financing the rural
enterprises and encouraging effective and efficient
agricultural activities through national policy framework
and rolling plans. This would assist in increasing their
productivity. Persistent effort towards improving the
urban areas without converting the rural areas would
aggregate the already problematic situation posed by
rural-urban migration since higher number of youths will
migrate to the urban appealing areas. Also insincerity of
purpose, corruption, embezzlement of money meant to
execute rural developmental projects by government
officials. And finally, adequate security arrangement
should be put in place by the security agencies so as to
forestall the unrest and curtail the incessant ethno-religion
crisis which made many people fled the area for safety of
their lives and property.

4. CONCLUSION
It can be inferred from the discussion above that
majority of migrants from Wukari Local Government
Area of Taraba State, Nigeria migrated because of ethnoreligious crisis that affected the area while others to
continue their education, search for employment, basic
amenities, to join family members in the city and to look
for money through labour. This means[that] until the
balance[is created] or disparity in socio-economic
development between the rural and urban area are
removed, no amount of persuasion can put a stop to ruralurban migration and it[a] multiplying effects in Wukari
Local Government Area of Taraba State and entire
Nigeria. Also majority of the respondents agreed that
rural-urban migration which has pulled a lot of their
youths to the urban areas as made the youth unavailable to
help carryout house chores and assist their parents in their
trade and profession including lack of labour force to
work on their farm before leading to low agricultural
produce and low standard of living in the area. However,
other consequences include gloomy village life, failure of
youths to learn their culture and desertion of the village by
the youth leaving behind mainly the aged and children.
All these consequences can be upturned if the disparity in

Table 1: Socio-economic characteristics of the Migrants

Variable
Age (years)
<18-21
22-25
26-30
31-35
Gender
Male
Female
Educational Level
Non-formal education
Primary education
Secondary education
Tertiary education
Household Size
1-7
8-11
12-14
15 and above

Frequency

Percentage (%)

34
12
8
6

56.7
20
13.3
10

47
13

78.3
21.7

7
10
26
17

11.7
16.7
43.3
28.3%

26
15
12
7

43.3
25
20
11.7

Source: Field Survey, 2014.

204

VOL. 5, NO. 4, April 2015

ISSN 2225-7217

ARPN Journal of Science and Technology

2011-2015. All rights reserved.
http://www.ejournalofscience.org

Table 2: Distribution of migrants based on reason for migration (n=6)

Reason for migration
Conflict
Search for better employment
Lack of social facilities
Further Education
crop failure and famine
Better Housing in the city
To improve livelihood welfare
Look for money through labour
To learn trade
Total
Source: Field Survey, 2014
*Multiple Responses

Frequency
56
38
29
29
16
9
34
30
21
311

Percentage
93.3
63.3
48.3
48.3
26.6
15
56.7
50
35

Table 3: Distribution of Migrants Based on Places of Migration and Business Engaged in (n=60)
Places migrated to
Frequency
Jalingo
30
Yola
10
Gombe
6
Jos
4
Abuja
8
Kano
2
Nature of Business Engaged in
Trading
14
Commercial carriding
5
Commercial Tricycle
27
(KekeNapep)
Labourer
6
Studies
8
Source: Field Survey, 2014

Percentage
50
16.7
10
6.7
13.3
3.3
23.3
8.3
45
10
13.4

Table 4: Distribution of migrants based on income generating per month (n=60)

Amount earned/Month (N)
Less than or equal to N 5200
N 5200 N 10, 000
N 10,200 N 20, 000
N 20,200 N 30,000
N 30, 200 N 40, 000
More than N 50, 000
No response
Source: Field Survey, 2014

Frequency
3
6
4
19
23
5
0

Percentage
5.0
10
6.7
31.7
38.3
8.3
0.0

Table 5: Relationship between some selected socio-Economic of the migrating Youth and reason for migration
Variable
Age and Reason for
Migration searching
For Better Employment
Relationship between age and lack of social
infrastructure
Relationship between age and furthering
education
Relationship between marital status and search
for better employment

X- Value
0.83

P Value
0.37

DF
10

DECISION
NS

4.48

0.92

10

11.03

0.36

10

NS

3.79

0.05

10

205

VOL. 5, NO. 4, April 2015

ISSN 2225-7217

ARPN Journal of Science and Technology

2011-2015. All rights reserved.
http://www.ejournalofscience.org

Relationship between educational level and

further education
Relationship between educational level and
lack of social infrastructure

5.08

0.61

0.96

0.62

NS Not Significant
S Significant level 0.5%
implication for theory and policy. Journal of
Development Studies. 38(3) 76-94.

REFERENCES
[1]

Abdur-Rokib R.A, and Abdul-Goni, A. (2011)

influencing factors of socio-economic and
demographic characteristics of female migrants
study of Maherthaha Bangladesh the social science
6(3) 194-197.

[2]

Agensa, R., and Kim, S. (2011) Rural to urban

migration as household decision evidence from
Kenya Review of Development Economics (5) 6075

[3]

Ajearo, C.K., Madu, I.A, and Mozie, A.T. (2003)

Appraisal of the factors of rural-urban migration in
Southern Nigeria. Innovative Journal of Social
Science 1(2): 1-8.

[4]

Ango, A.K, Ibrahim, S.A, Yakubu, A.A. and

Usman, T. (2014) Determination of Socioeconomic factors influencing youth rural-urban
migration in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Nigeria Journal
of Human Resource, 45(3) 223-231.

[5]

[6]

Aromolaran, A.K. (2013) Assessment of benefits

associated with rural-urban migration among nonmigrant in Odeda area, Ogun State Nigeria.
International Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences
and Technology.
Aworemi, J.R, Abdul-Azeez, I.A. and Apoola,
N.A. (2011) An Appraisal of the factor influencing
rural-urban migration in some selected local
government areas of Lagos State, Nigeria. Journal
of Sustainable Development 4(3).

[7]

Ehirim, N.C, Onyeneke, R.U.ChidieberaMerk,

N.M, Ninabuihe, V.C, (2012) Effects and prospects
of rural to urban migration on the poverty status of
migrants in Abia State, Nigeria Agricultural
Science Research Journal 2(4) 147-149.

[8]

Rajan, S.I. (2013) Internal migration and youth in

India main features trends and emerging challenge.
A discussion paper UNESCO from <Unesdore
UNESCO org image 002214221487 e pdf

[9]

[10]

Orunye, E.D. and Abbas, B. (2011).The Geography

of Taraba State, Nigeria. LAP Publishing
Company, Germany.

[11]

Osondu, C.K, Ibezim, GMC (2013) Determinants

of rural-urban migration and its effect on rural farm
labour availability in Umuahia North Local
Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. Research
Web. Pub 1(3) 29-35.

[12]

Pradjhan, K.C. (2013) Youth migration from rural

to urban of Western OdishaIndia.A micro level
analysis of selective industries inTamilWadu.
India, America Open Economic Journal 1(1): 1-11.

BRIEF PROFILES OF THE AUTHOR

Bashir Mohammed Bawuro: Hold a Bachelor of
Agriculture Degree with specialization in Agricultural
Extension from University of Maiduguri 2012 and
currently a Post Graduate Student (M.Sc Agricultural
Extension) in Taraba State University, Jalingo.
Lawan Usman Abubakar: Hold Higher National Diploma
in Agric. Extension and Management from College of
Agriculture, Jalingo (1999) and Post Graduate Diploma in
Farm Management University of Agriculture Markudi
Benue State (2012).
Musa .a. Haruna: Hold B.Sc Sociology and Anthropology
from University of Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria (19982002).
Ruikaiya Abubakar Usman: Hold Higher National
Diploma in Agric. Extension and Management College of
Agriculture, Jalingo 1999, Post Graduate Diploma in
Agric Extension, Federal Technology of Yola, 2013,
Master of Education, Educational Administration and
Planning, 2014 from National Open University of Nigeria.
Bello Umar Danejo: Hold HND Agric. Extension &Mgt
College of Agriculture, Jalingo, PGDM, ATBU, PGD
Agric. Cooperative University of Agriculture, Makurdi,
M.Sc Agric. Extension in view (Taraba State University).

Regmi, G. and C. Tisdell, (2012) Remitting

behaviour of Nepalse rural to urban migrants

206