1. You think you’re going to save Africa.
News flash: they did not wait for you oh *insert Ivorian accent here*! The train has already left the station.
Africa’s economy is growing – it has a projected GDP growth of 3.4 % in 2021.
Women’s role in governance has increased. They hold more parliament seats. Rwanda leads the way worldwide, with more that 60% of Lower chamber seats held by women.
Made in Africa electronics? Check! Online shopping platforms? Check, check!? Grocery delivery services? Check, check, check!
These are only a few examples. So yes, there is still progress to be made. But Africa is growing.
That does not mean that you cannot go, do your thing and bring your contribution. There is room for everyone. Just don’t be that person that thinks they are THE ONE that Africa is waiting for…Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You’re off for a rude awakening.
2. You have a complicated and serious health condition
Bear with me for that one. I know not everyone will agree. Also, disclaimer, this does not replace medical advice.
Call me biased -because of my family history- but I think that if you have a serious health condition that requires close monitoring by a specialist, moving to Africa may not be for you.
I know there are great doctors on the continent. I just don’t think the proper healthcare systems are in place to treat patients with serious medical conditions in a timely and efficient fashion.
So unless you are ready to go back and forth between Africa and a western country for regular medical checkups and such, maybe definitive repatriation is not for you? – Just look at all the riches and politicians.
African countries’ health budgets are low. According to a 2013 report Sub-Saharan Africa health budget represents less than 1% of global health expenditure.
Unless you’re repatriating in one of those 10 countries who have improved their healthcare system, maybe you should reconsider.
3. You think you’re going to make quick money
No, moving back to Africa is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Yes there are plenty of opportunities. But you’re going to have to work for it like everywhere else.
4. You think you know better than people on the continent and you have nothing to learn.
Just because you grew up or went to school abroad, doesn’t mean that you know better than born and raised locals. We all have something to learn from each other. There are great schools on the continent.
And people who have lived and worked all their lives there have something that you don’t: the knowledge of customs and the culture and how local systems work.
Humble thyself my friend.
5. You think you’re going to live like a king.
Life is definitely cheaper in some areas. But did you know that 42 African cities were ranked amongst the most expensive places to live in the world for EXpats according to this list from the consulting firm Mercer?
Obviously, this list was made for western expats. But that tells you that if you expect to live on the same standards of life you had in Europe or America, you may have to pay the price for it.
Plus credit is more expensive in Africa – interest rates are double or triple what they are in the US – at least if I take the Ivorian example. That means you have to come up with a lot of cash upfront for things that could be paid by loan or credit in the Western world (think cars or buying a house).
6. You are a stickler for time and schedule
If you cannot stand people being late you may have a hard time in Africa.
I’m talking from my experience in my own country Côte d’Ivoire. Ivoirians like to take their time. Events – meetings, concerts, parties – will start hours later than the time they were scheduled for.
Planning to go to the doctor, block your day off for it because you never know when you will actually see them and when you’ll be able to get out of their office.
Things take time. If you want a slower pace of life, moving to Africa is for you. If you’re expecting everything and everyone to be on time and can’t stand it when they’re not, you betta start adjusting your expectations if you don’t want to have a hard time!
7. You have a special needs child.
I’m not talking about this one from personal experience but from my observations on our health and social systems. It’s related to number 2 👆🏾👆🏾. From my knowledge, the systems to support special needs persons are almost non-existent.
According to this article, there were only 50 child and adolescent psychiatrists for about a billion inhabitants of sub-saharan Africa in 2015.
There are very few schools with the proper staff and equipment to take care of disabled or special needs kids. According to the World Bank, less than 10% of disabled kids attend school in Africa.
We have a long way to go.
If you’re considering moving to Africa with a special needs child, make sure to do your research and prepare accordingly.
8. You hate traffic
Yes, life goes at a slower pace in Africa. But also yes, there is a lot of hustle and bustle.
Last time I went for a vacation in Abidjan, we spent countless hours sitting in traffic. And it seems to get worse every time I go back.
People leave their house 2-3 hours in advance to make it on time at work in the morning. And that’s not because they live far from their jobs, but because they have to account for the time they will spend in traffic.
It is a problem for big cities on the whole continent. More people move to the big cities. More cars are on the road, but transportation systems do not keep up with that increase. Public transportation is lacking.
On the flip side, you will be able to do your shopping while sitting in traffic, since you can buy pretty much anything on the side of the road, from food to furniture to books.
9. You expect it to be the same as when you went for vacations
When going for vacations, you lounge, you visit friends and family, you go to the beach, you buy souvenirs. The family is attentive to your every need, you don’t have to do a thing.
Moving there is a different story. You’ll have to plan a budget (and stick to it), find a job (and actually work!), take care of your own family if you have one, deal with local administrations and local realities.
You don’t get to leave after 3-4 weeks. This is it. That is your life now, for better or worse.
10. You love to travel to far away destinations
Travel in Africa is expensive. Travel outside of Africa is also expensive. For a lot of destinations, there is no direct flight. You usually have to have a layover in one of the European airports, which increases the final price of the ticket.
Here’s a random example. At the time I’m writing this, a ticket from Atlanta to Sydney is about $1900, two layovers on the travel website Kayak. To reach the same destination, at the same dates from Abidjan, I would need to cough out $3600, also two layovers, but about double the duration of travelling time.
So you can definitively travel around the world from Africa, you just have to have the finances for it.
And one bonus:
- You think everything will be handed to you on a silver plate because you come from abroad with your shiny foreign degree. Refer to number 1,3,4,5!
That’s all friends! Let me know if you agree or disagree with these reasons or if you can think of other reasons.
If I have not discouraged you from repatriating back to Africa with those 10 (and half) reasons, see you next week! Byyyye!
