Journal of Economics and Political Economy www.kspjournals.org Volume 4 June 2017 Issue 2 Patterns and Micro-Drivers of International Emigration in Nigeria By Musa ABDU a Adamu JIBIR ab† & Salihu ABDULLAHI ac Abstract. The study attempts to unfold the determinants of international migration from Nigeria to other countries by using 2009 Nigeria Migration Survey data by World Bank (2011). It also employs econometric techniques of linear probability and binary probit models. The findings indicates that individual and household characteristics as well as economic and geographical factors play significant roles in making Nigerians to migrate abroad. The individual characteristics are gender (if male), age, marital status and education years, while household size is the only significant factor under household characteristics. The amount of remittance is the only significant economic determinant. The statistically significant geographical factors include locality (if urban) and geopolitical zones (if south- east, south-south, south-west and Lagos). Second, the same factors are the determinants of international migration to OECD and African countries, albeit they are stronger in influencing migration to African countries than to OECD countries. However, amount of remittance has positive effect on international migration to OECD countries but it is negative on international migration to African countries. Thus, the policy implication is that any international migration policy should target the above determinants of international migration in order to contain it. Keywords. International migration, Remittances, Probit model, Policy implications. JEL. F22, F24, C31, F42. 1. Introduction ntil the Brussels Declaration and Programme of Action in 2001, migration has been overlooked as one of the debatable development issues globally despite its huge implications for development. Migration, especially international one, remains critical to national progress and prosperity for it comes with both economic gains and/or losses to both source and destination countries (United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 2009 and United Nations Department of Economics and Social Statistics (UNDESA, 2012). It is further observed by UNDESA (2012) that international migrants contribute so much to the growth and development of their home countries as they remit their accumulated financial and human capital. This would go a long way in boosting foreign investment of their countries of origin, create wealth and generate multitude of employment opportunities. aa Departmentof Economics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Gombe State University, Nigeria. . +234 815 644 20 21 . musaabdu87@gmail.com b† Departmentof Economics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Gombe State University, Nigeria. . +234 856 555 61 33 . adamujibir@gmail.com ca Departmentof Economics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Gombe State University, Nigeria. . +234 809 821 22 10 . sbdullahi05@gmail.com U