In Benin, particularly in the Donga department, irregular departures are common, driven by the desire to migrate and eventually return home and rebuild one’s life. However, this journey is often fraught with obstacles, forcing migrants and their families to prepare for the worst.
Testimonies from Beninese migrants who have returned home after experiencing life in the Maghreb — particularly Algeria, Libya and Tunisia — reveal the hardships they encountered.
In response to the increasing number of clandestine departures from the Donga department to these countries, Beninese NGOs, supported by various partners, are working to curb this trend. Through their fieldwork, they are documenting information and observations.
One notable practice among these observations is a farewell ritual.
“This is a prayer that is usually performed for the deceased. But it is also performed for people preparing to migrate,” explains Gloria Kponou, a clinical psychologist, consultant and member of the Multistakeholder Migration Platform in Benin (PMB). According to Kponou, this ritual has great significance beyond the financial and spiritual preparations made for the journey. It symbolises the shared sacrifice of the prospective migrant and their family, acknowledging the potential dangers and preparing for any eventuality, including losing one’s life during migration.
Testimonies often recount the experiences of migrants who have had no news from their families for years. However, the achievements of many migrants fuel the desire to overcome obstacles, leave and eventually return home to fulfil their dreams, sometimes by sending money back from their destination country.
According to several advocates of regular migration in Benin, the farewell ritual may persuade some people to undertake the dangerous journey of irregular migration. This highlights the need to redirect actions against clandestine migration towards religious leaders, as well as the families and relatives of prospective migrants in the area.
Field data show that people from Benin’s Donga department mainly migrate to Algeria, Tunisia and Libya for economic reasons, often travelling along dangerous routes. Other migration flows are directed towards Europe, particularly Germany, and neighbouring countries for trade purposes.
In a sociocultural context where bravery is highly valued, migrating under difficult conditions can also garner social prestige.
Data that warrants attention
The municipalities of the Donga department are Djougou (the departmental capital), Bassila, Copargo and Ouaké. These are subdivided into 26 districts and 177 villages and urban neighbourhoods. One phenomenon observed in this area is irregular migration.
According to the Fourth General Population and Housing Census (RGPH4), the population of the Donga department is 543,130. The main religions in the department are Islam (77.99%) and Catholicism (11.9%). The most populous ethnic groups are the Yowa, Lokpa, Ani, Fulani and Dendi, as well as the Yoruba and their associated communities.
Irregular departures from regions such as the Donga department, and particularly the municipality of Djougou, are almost systemic in Benin.
In December 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Beninese government repatriated 150 migrants. This operation was part of a major programme to bring 267 stranded Beninese migrants back to Benin from Algeria. A consular mission organised from 22 to 29 November 2024 made it possible to identify the beneficiaries. Similarly, a repatriation operation in May 2025 enabled the return of 173 migrants stranded in Tunisia.
