65% of Young Cape Verdeans Plan to Emigrate Amid Job Crisis
Economic anxiety and a desire for better opportunities are driving a significant majority of Cape Verde’s youth to look abroad, according to a sweeping new study released by the National Institute of Statistics (INE).
Majority of Youth Plan to Depart Archipelago
The “Aspirations of Young Cape Verdeans 2025” survey reveals that approximately 64.6% of people aged 15 to 35 intend to emigrate. The desire to leave is particularly pronounced among the youngest demographic; a staggering 78.1% of those aged 15 to 20 expressed a wish to move to another country. Geographically, the island of Fogo recorded the highest propensity for emigration, with 82.3% of its youth planning to depart.
The study, which surveyed nearly 10,000 households across all 22 municipalities, highlights a growing sentiment that international mobility is the only path to stability. While the desire to leave is high across the board, it is notably more frequent among men than women.
Jobs and Education Drive the Exodus
The primary catalysts for this planned migration are economic. Most respondents cited the search for work and better salaries as their main motivations, followed by the pursuit of higher education. Currently, 54.7% of young Cape Verdeans describe existing job opportunities within the archipelago as “weak” or “very weak.”
Youth unemployment remains a stubborn challenge at 10.7%, climbing to 14.7% among women and 16.5% for those under 20. Beyond the lack of jobs, young people identified the abuse of synthetic drugs (52.3%), alcohol consumption (47.1%), and inadequate wages (39.9%) as the most pressing social issues facing their generation.
A Dilemma Between Ambition and Obstacles
Despite the high literacy rate of 97.9%, financial barriers continue to stifle local progress. Many young people reported that a lack of resources and the immediate need to earn money prevent them from completing degrees or pursuing specialized training.
When asked about career goals, the youth appeared split between two paths:
- Public Administration: Preferred by 25% of respondents, particularly women seeking stability.
- Entrepreneurship: 24.1% expressed a desire to start their own businesses, a trend most visible among men.
The INE noted that while entrepreneurship rates are currently low due to a perceived unfavorable business climate, there is a burgeoning interest among the newest generation to launch their own companies in the coming years.
Roots and Resilience
For the minority who choose to stay in Cape Verde, the decision is rooted in emotion rather than economics. Approximately 62.7% of those intending to remain cited proximity to family and strong social ties as their primary reason for staying.
The findings mirror a late-2024 Afrosondagem poll, confirming a consistent trend: Cape Verde is facing a significant “brain drain” threat as its youngest and most literate citizens look toward the horizon for a future they feel they cannot build at home.
Image: Pexels – Carlo Jünemann
