MIGRATION AND SETTLEMENT EXPERIENCES OF NIGERIANS IN GUANGZHOU, CHINA

Abstract

Recent economic and political transformations in Africa and the rising influence of China in global affairs have led to increasing migration of Africans to Chinese cities. Scholars have examined issues such as migration drivers, trade networks, and challenges faced by Africans in China. However, little has been done on the migration and settlement experiences of distinct African migrant groups. This study, therefore, examined the settlement experience of Nigerians in Guangzhou, the largest city in South China. Integrated International Migration and Diasporisation theories guided the study and exploratory and descriptive designs were adopted. Guangzhou was purposively selected owing to the concentration of African migrants. A total of 69 participants – 52 Nigerians and 17 Chinese – were sampled using snowballing and accidental techniques respectively. Chinese participants provided information on their relationship with, and perception of Nigerian migrants. Intra-method triangulation of 58 in-depth and eight key informant interviews and three life histories were used to elicit information on the migration, settlement experience and challenges faced by Nigerians in Guangzhou. Non-participant observation of everyday life of some Nigerians was employed to collect additional data at work, recreational spaces and homes. Transcribed interviews and fieldnotes were processed using a software. Thematic, content and narrative analyses were carried out, and ethnographic summaries and direct quotations were used for data presentation. Majority of Nigerian participants (63.0%) were of Igbo ethnic extraction, 25.0% were Yoruba, 6.0% were Hausa, and 6.0% were from others. Sixty-three percent were aged 44 years or below while 83.0% were males. Participants were predominantly involved in business with a few of them being students. Majority (44.0%) had secondary education while 35.0% obtained tertiary level qualifications. Experiences of poor social and economic conditions served as remote factors for out-migrations. Four strategies adopted prior to and during migration to China include planning, relationship management, document acquisition and mapping of travel trajectory. Majority of the migrants arrived five years prior to when the study was conducted, although there were longer-term residents as well. The constitution of early arrivals in the 1990s into Igbo Ezue initiated the formation of a community that supported members, expanded access to market spaces and introduced and coordinated internal discipline. Newly arrived Nigerians established networks of support with ‘integration mentors’ who educated them on survival strategies; and sometimes exploited and or introduced them to criminal careers. Perception of Nigerians as mafan or ‘troublemakers’ limited social interactions with the host community; but interracial romance fostered deeper relationships. In-fighting, minority/majority and ethnic schisms and community-wide apathy had negatively impacted on community processes. Stigmatisation, which shaped the perceptions of Nigerians, and challenges of documentation created uncertainties and vulnerabilities that further exposed them to social discrimination. Nigerians have managed to establish a vibrant and dynamic community in Guangzhou. However, the host country should urgently address the settlement challenges of Nigerians by reviewing its immigration policies and laws, and engaging the Nigerian community to resolve the barriers to integration in China.