 African Migration Trends, Myth vs Reality Myth Africans migrate mostly to Western countries to seek opportunities. Reality Migration in Africa mostly occurs within the continent, and a relatively small percentage of people are actively planning and preparing to migrate. Myth A small number of refugees are being hosted in Africa. Reality In 2019, Africa hosted 7.3 million refugees, including asylum seekers, or 25% of the global refugee population. Myth There are very few female international migrants in Africa. Reality An estimated 47% of all international migrants in Africa are female. The share of female migrants is the highest in eastern Africa, followed by central and western Africa, southern Africa, and northern Africa. Learn more about the migration trends in Africa in the African Migration Report.