Reassessing the ‘Greener Pasture’ Narrative: Examining the Expectation–Reality Gap in Nigerian International Migration, 2015–2025

Abstract

International migration has become an increasingly important feature of contemporary Nigerian socioeconomic and international relations. The popular “greener pasture” narrative often portrays migration as a search for better economic opportunities, security, education and professional advancement abroad. However, migrants’ experiences do not always correspond with these expectations. This study examined the expectation–reality gap in Nigerian international migration between 2015 and 2025 using qualitative documentary analysis. A purposively selected core corpus of empirical studies, institutional reports, and foundational theoretical and methodological works was analysed thematically. The analysis was guided by Lee’s push–pull theory, the New Economics of Labour Migration, and de Haas’s aspirations–capabilities framework. Findings indicate that Nigerian migration aspirations reflected interacting economic, security, educational, professional and institutional factors rather than a single “greener pasture” motive. Outcomes varied according to destination, migrant category, legal status, occupation and migration channel. Although migrants often anticipated improved earnings, career opportunities and quality of life, labour-market constraints, qualification-recognition difficulties, immigration restrictions and living costs sometimes produced less favourable outcomes. Social media primarily facilitated information and networking rather than independently causing migration. The study concludes that Nigerian migration is a heterogeneous transnational process shaped by aspirations, capabilities, structural constraints and international migration governance.