Nigerians in Ireland

Last updated

Nigerians in Ireland
Total population
20228,368 (Nigerian citizens)
202220,559 (Nigerian born)
Regions with significant populations
Dublin and surroundings (Clondalkin, Tallaght, Blanchardstown), [1] Limerick, Galway, Letterkenny
Languages
English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Other languages of Nigeria [2]
Religion
Christianity, Islam [3]

According to the 2022 census, [4] there were 8,368 resident Nigerians in Ireland in 2022. 20,559 persons usually resident in the state in 2022 were born in Nigeria, an increase of 3,990 since 2016. They constitute the largest African group in the country.

Contents

Historical population
YearPop.±%
20029,225—    
200616,327+77.0%
201119,780+21.1%
201616,569−16.2%
202220,559+24.1%
[5]

Migration

History

The first significant mass-migration of Nigerians to Ireland comprised Nigerians from the United Kingdom. Most came only with the intention of extending their UK visas and then returning, but the ones who failed settled down in Ireland as illegal immigrants. [6] After the landmark High Court case Fajujonu v. Minister for Justice, which prohibited deportation of parents of Irish-born children, more Nigerians began coming to Ireland. [7] Then, from around 1996, during Ireland's "Celtic Tiger" period of rapid economic expansion, they came seeking either opportunities for jobs, benefits or to set up niche businesses aimed at other African migrants providing goods and services which they expected would not otherwise be available in the Irish market. [8] Between 2002 and 2006, the population of Nigerian citizens in Ireland grew by 81.7%, according to census figures, making them the country's fourth-largest migrant group at the time. [9] Many recent migrants are asylum-seekers. [10] However, from 2002 to 2009 the number of Nigerian applicants for asylum fell sharply, dropping from a peak of 4,050 to just 569. [11] The sharp drop in Nigerian asylum applicants was due to the obtaining residency via parentage of Irish citizen children or marriage to Irish and EU spouses and due to the high failure rates in the granting of asylum and the granting of leave to remain.

Motivations

Among Nigerian respondents to a 2008 survey, 40% had no friends or family in the country at all prior to arrival, double the rate of other migrant groups such as Indians and Lithuanians (EU citizens), though slightly less than Chinese. 22% mentioned education and training as their motivation for migration, while 16% mentioned joining family. [12] They are far more likely (90%) than other migrant groups surveyed to have children, whether in Ireland or elsewhere. [13] Furthermore, about half state that they are responsible for full or partial support of other adult or minor family members. [14] More than 80% were married, and those, for about one-fifth, their partners lived in Nigeria rather than in Ireland; more than 90% have children. [15]

Prior to 2004, citizenship laws entailed that any child born in Ireland was an Irish citizen, regardless of the nationality of the parent or their link to Ireland. After the landmark High Court case Fajujonu v. Minister for Justice, which prohibited deportation of parents of Irish-born children, there was a perception that Nigerians were coming to Ireland, initially seeking asylum and then giving birth shortly upon arrival. In the Supreme Court case of L. and O. v. Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, delivered on 23 January 2003, it was held that a foreign national parent of an Irish-born child did not have an automatic entitlement to remain in the State with the child. As a result of that case the Minister reviewed his policy. The Minister decided that the separate procedures for the consideration of residency applications based solely on parentage of an Irish-born child should cease with effect from 19 February 2003. At that date a total of 11,493 applications, which had been made on this basis, were outstanding. This review became known as the IBC 05 Scheme. In addition, Irish citizenship laws were amended by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act, 2004 for future cases, removing the automatic right of Irish citizenship at birth where parents of the child were non-Irish. As of January 2006, a total of 17,917 applications under the IBC 05 Scheme were received and processed. A total of 16,693 applicants were given leave to remain under the scheme and 1,119 were refused. [16] It has been cited that Nigerian nationals made up 59% of applicants of the IBC 05 Scheme and 57% of successful applicants. [17]

Business and employment

A 2008 survey found that 86% of Nigerian respondents had been employed before migration to Ireland, while just 8% were full-time students. 27% had been self-employed, a much higher rate than other migrant groups surveyed. 25% had worked as managers and executives, 11% in business and commerce, 17% in local or central governments, 12% in health-related occupations, and 5% in personal services. [18] Only 16% had a job offer in Ireland prior to arrival, about double the rate of Chinese respondents, but less than a third the rate of Indian or Lithuanian respondents. [19] They are more likely than the other groups surveyed to find their employment through newspaper advertisements, rather than the internet or friends and family. [20] About half of the survey respondents were employed at the time of the survey, with another 16% of men and 13% of women looking for work. Many work in personal services and childcare (positions such as care assistants, security guards, taxi drivers, waiters, or hotel staff). [21] [22] About half of Nigerian men and two-thirds of Nigerian women feel that their qualifications are fully recognised in their main job. [23] Compared to other groups they have an intermediate level of income (majority reporting between €14,401 and €31,720). [24] Fewer than 2% are employed in predominantly Irish working environments. [25]

Politics

Compared to other migrant groups (including fellow EU citizens), Nigerians have been noted for their involvement in electoral politics and community organisations. A 2008 survey found that 50% of Nigerian respondents were registered to vote, more than double the other recent migrant groups surveyed. [26] 25% of the same survey group were again involved with trade unions, again far more than the other groups. [27] Involvement in political and civic activity tends to be high among asylum seekers while they are awaiting the completion of the asylum process, but drops off afterwards. [28]

Organisations

There are many Nigerian organisations in Ireland. Most are affiliated with the Houston, Texas-based Nigerian Union Diaspora (NUD), which is the umbrella Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) for the economic and political empowerment of the people of Nigerian descent outside Nigeria.[ citation needed ] Community organisations established by Nigerians within Ireland include the Nigerian Association of Ireland and the Igbo Association of Ireland. [28] Nigerian organisations are typically ethnic-specific (as in the Bini Community in Ireland and the Igbo Progressive Union) or local-specific (as in the Association of Nigerians in Galway). There is also an umbrella organisation, the Nigerian Association Network in Ireland. Nigerians are also active in pan-African organisations and general migrant organisations. [29] Arambe Theater Productions, a pan-African drama group, was established in 2003 by Nigerian performance artist Bisi Adigun. [30] There is also Nigerian Carnival Ireland (NCI), an annual festival to celebrate Nigerian & other ethnic cultures in Ireland, established in 2010 by Nigerian TV personality & consummate speaker Yemi Adenuga. A Nigerian-run beauty pageant, The Most Beautiful African Girl is also in Ireland. Some Nigerian churches have been established in various places in Ireland, along with various Nigerian-owned shops and restaurants, especially in Dublin's Moore Street. [31] [32] The Association of Nigerian Doctors in Ireland (ANDI) was inaugurated in a dinner on 6 June 2015. [33]

Nigerians have also established several magazines such as Bold & Beautiful and Xclusive. Nigerian television stations are available through satellite providers such as Africa Independent Television and BEN Television. [34]

Language

Yoruba and Igbo were the most common spoken languages by the Nigerian community in Ireland. According to the Irish population and housing census of 2011, 10,093 people spoke Yoruba at home, making it the most widely spoken African language in the country, while 3,875 spoke Igbo. Other Nigerian languages were not specified. [35]

In contrast to other migrant groups surveyed, Nigerians have a high level of English usage in almost all kinds of interactions, including with children, with other Nigerian friends, in other socialisation, and at work; only communication with partners was an exception to this trend. [36] 95% rate themselves as having "fluent" or "adequate" command of English. [37] However, they are strongly likely to feel that they do not have many values in common with Irish people. [38]

Other

In a 2008 survey, about one-third of Nigerian respondents were in education on a part-time or full-time basis, mostly at tertiary institutions. As non EU citizens they pay a higher rate of tuition fees. [39] The same survey found that 90% of Nigerian respondents had made use of health services in Ireland (such as GPs, hospitals, community health centres, medical cards, and private insurance providers), a much higher rate than the other groups surveyed (Chinese, Indians, and Lithuanians (EU citizen), ranging from 40% to 60%). [40]

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of the Republic of Ireland</span>

The Republic of Ireland had a population of 5,149,139 at the 2022 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Nigeria</span>

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the sixth in the world. It is also one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, with approximately 218.5 million people in an area of 923,768 km2 (356,669 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Organization for Migration</span> Intergovernmental organization

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations agency that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Australia</span> Overview of immigration to Australia

The Australian continent was first settled when ancestors of Indigenous Australians arrived via the islands of Maritime Southeast Asia and New Guinea over 50,000 years ago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Germany</span> Overview of immigration to Germany

Immigration to Germany, both in the country's modern borders and the many political entities that preceded it, has occurred throughout the country's history. Today, Germany is one of the most popular destinations for immigrants in the world, with well over 1 million people moving there each year since 2013. As of 2019, around 13.7 million people living in Germany, or about 17% of the population, are first-generation immigrants.

The foreign-born population of the United Kingdom includes immigrants from a wide range of countries who are resident in the United Kingdom. In the period January to December 2016, there were groups from 22 foreign countries that were estimated to consist of at least 100,000 individuals residing in the UK.

Nigerian Americans are Americans who are of Nigerian ancestry. The number of Nigerian immigrants residing in the United States is rapidly growing, expanding from a small 1980 population of 25,000. The 2019 American Community Survey (ACS) estimated that 461,695 U.S. residents were of Nigerian ancestry. The 2019 ACS further estimated that around 392,811 of these (85%) had been born in Nigeria. Similar to its status as the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria is also the African country with the most migrants to the United States, as of 2013. In a study which was carried out by consumer genetics company 23andMe which involved the DNA of 50,281 people of African descent in the United States, Latin America, and Western Europe, it was revealed that Nigeria was the most common country of origin for testers from the United States, the French Caribbean, and the British Caribbean. Most Nigerian Americans, like British Nigerians, predominantly originate from southern Nigeria, as opposed to the Islamic northern half of the country.

Somalis in the United Kingdom include British citizens and residents born in or with ancestors from Somalia. The United Kingdom (UK) is home to the largest Somali community in Europe, with an estimated 108,000 Somali-born immigrants residing in the UK in 2018 according to the Office for National Statistics. The majority of these live in England, with the largest number found in London. Smaller Somali communities exist in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Cardiff.

British Nigerians have formed long-established communities in London, Liverpool and other industrial cities. Many Nigerians and their British-born descendants in Britain live in South London, and they are one of the larger immigrant groups in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Somali diaspora</span> Somali emigrants and their descendants

The Somali diaspora or Qurbajoogta refers to Somalis who were born in Greater Somalia and reside in areas of the world that they were not born in. The civil war in Somalia greatly increased the size of the Somali diaspora, as many Somalis moved from Greater Somalia primarily to Europe, North America, Southern Africa and Australia. There are also small Somali populations in other pockets of Europe and Asia. The UN estimates that in 2015, approximately 2 million people from Somalia were living outside of the country's borders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigerians</span> People from the country of Nigeria

Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was derived from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later married Baron Frederick Lugard, a British colonial administrator. Nigeria is composed of various ethnic groups and cultures and the term Nigerian refers to a citizenship-based civic nationality. Nigerians derive from over 250 ethno-linguistic groups. Though there are multiple ethnic groups in Nigeria, economic factors result in significant mobility of Nigerians of multiple ethnic and religious backgrounds to reside in territories in Nigeria that are outside their ethnic or religious background, resulting in the mixing of the various ethnic and religious groups, especially in Nigeria's cities. The English language is the lingua franca of Nigerians. Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Muslims, who live mostly in the north, and Christians, who live mostly in the south; indigenous religions, such as those native to the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities, are in the minority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zimbabwean diaspora</span> Emigrants from Zimbabwe and their descendants

The Zimbabwean diaspora refers to the diaspora of immigrants from the nation of Zimbabwe and their descendants who now reside in other countries. The number of Zimbabweans living outside Zimbabwe varies significantly from 4 to 7 million people, though it is generally accepted at over 5 million people, some 30 per cent of all Zimbabweans. Varying degrees of assimilation and a high degree of interethnic marriages in the Zimbabwean diaspora communities makes determining exact figures difficult. The diaspora population is extremely diverse and consists of Shona people, Ndebele, white Zimbabweans, mixed-race people, Asians, Jewish people and other minority groups. The diaspora traces their origin to several waves of emigration, starting with the exodus that followed the 1965, unilateral declaration of independence in Rhodesia, but significantly since the sociopolitical crisis that began in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to South Africa</span> Overview of immigration to South Africa

The Southern Africa region experiences a relatively high influx of immigration into South Africa. As of 2019, the immigration rate is continuing to increase, and the role of the female population of migrants is significantly growing in this movement and settlement. The majority of immigrants are working residents and influence the presence of several sectors in South Africa. The demographic background of this group is diverse, and the countries of origin mainly belong to Sub-Saharan Africa and push migration south. A portion have qualified as refugees since the 1990s.

There is a small population of Angolans in the Netherlands numbering around 10,000 people, largely consisting of refugees from the Angolan Civil War.

Ivoirians in the United Kingdom or Ivorian British are one of the country's smallest African immigrant groups, consisting of no more than 10,000 individuals. The group includes people born in Côte d'Ivoire who have migrated to the United Kingdom, as well as their British-born descendants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Immigration to Japan</span> Overview of immigration to Japan

According to the Japanese Ministry of Justice, the number of foreign residents in Japan has steadily increased in the post Second World War period, and the number of foreign residents was more than 2.76 million at the end of 2022. Being a country with a total estimated population of 125.57 million in 2020, the resident foreign population in Japan amounts to approximately 2.29% of the total population.

This article delineates the issue of immigration in different countries.

Zimbabwean Canadians are Canadian citizens of Zimbabwean descent or a Zimbabwe-born person who resides in Canada. According to the Canada 2016 Census there were 16,225 Canadian citizens who claimed Zimbabwean ancestry and 15,000 Zimbabwean citizens residing in the country at the moment of the census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voluntary return</span>

Voluntary return or voluntary repatriation is usually the return of an illegal immigrant or over-stayer, a rejected asylum seeker, a refugee or displaced person, or an unaccompanied minor; sometimes it is the emigration of a second-generation immigrant who makes an autonomous decision to return to their ethnic homeland when they are unable or unwilling to remain in the host country.

The migration of Ghanaians to Germany started in the early 1950s when a West Germany policy permitted the travel of students from some African countries to Germany to further their education. This policy was to equip the students with knowledge which would be useful in their country of origin when they eventually returned.

References

  1. ↑ IOM 2010, p. 11
  2. ↑ McFadyen 2008, pp. 137–138
  3. ↑ IOM 2010, pp. 13–15
  4. ↑ Census 2022 - FY016 - Population Usually Resident and Present in the State, Central Statistics Office, retrieved 30 September 2023
  5. ↑ "Census 2002 - BDR21 - 2002 Population Usually Resident and Present in the State". "Census 2006 - C0429 - Population Usually Resident and Present in their Usual Residence on Census Night". "Census 2022 - FY016 - Population Usually Resident and Present in the State" . Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Komolafe 2002 , Visa Extension-Seekers
  7. ↑ Komolafe 2002 , Legal Resident Status Seekers
  8. ↑ Komolafe 2002 , 'Celtic Tiger' Migrants
  9. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 55
  10. ↑ IOM 2010 , p. 6
  11. ↑ IOM 2010 , p. 9
  12. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 63
  13. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 77
  14. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 106
  15. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , pp. 145–147
  16. ↑ "Bode (a minor) -v- Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform & ors : Judgments & Determinations". Courts Service. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  17. ↑ "HLG 3 – Asylum, Immigration and Citizenship" (PDF). Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service . Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  18. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 87
  19. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 88
  20. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 89
  21. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 90
  22. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , pp. 92–93
  23. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 98
  24. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 105
  25. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 123
  26. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 79
  27. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 80
  28. 1 2 McFadyen 2008 , p. 84
  29. ↑ IOM 2010 , p. 14
  30. ↑ McIvor 2008 , p. 31
  31. ↑ Komolafe 2002 , Institution Building
  32. ↑ "Nigerians put down new roots in Ireland", BBC News, 2 September 2004, retrieved 22 June 2011
  33. ↑ "Association of Nigerian Doctors in Ireland". Global Medics. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  34. ↑ IOM 2010 , p. 17
  35. ↑ "Profile 6 - Migration and Diversity" (PDF). Central Statistics Office. October 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  36. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 138
  37. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 140
  38. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 142
  39. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 101
  40. ↑ McFadyen 2008 , p. 85

Bibliography

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.