NewStats: 3,264,094 , 8,182,580 topics. Date: Monday, 09 June 2025 at 04:20 PM 4z2i56

Feeling suffocated by an unprecedented economic crisis, an increasing number of Lebanese nationals are abandoning their home country for Africa.

In Nabatieh, the largest city in southern Lebanon, Mohammed Patrice Reda is waiting for his visa for Côte d’Ivoire to come through. The 24-year-old always dreamed of becoming an engineer but never imagined he would have to travel thousands of kilometres to land his first job in the field.

“Right after I got my degree, I began applying for jobs in Lebanon, but I only found unpaid internships. I did three of those, but none of the companies hired me afterwards. The more I job hunt, the more I realise the economic situation is unsustainable.”

Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal
The third most indebted nation in the world, Lebanon is currently experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history. In the span of a few months, the Lebanese pound lost 60% of its value, setting off a seemingly unstoppable spiral of hyperinflation. Wages are hardly worth anything and workers are falling into poverty at breakneck speed. According to the United Nations, the number of people unable to meet their basic needs – such as having adequate food – doubled in 2020 to 55% of the population.

Amid the chaos, there is no way of knowing exactly how many Lebanese citizens are packing their bags, but one thing is certain: many of them are moving abroad. And it isn’t a new phenomenon. With the Lebanese people fleeing massacres and wars since the 19th century, the country has one of the largest diaspora communities in the world, totalling around 12 million people, i.e., four times its population. Out of this group, a few hundred thousand people – many of whom hail from southern Lebanon – have moved to Africa, especially Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal.

As the pandemic and economic recession rage on, Lebanese emigration to African countries is easier than making the leap to Europe or the United States since air travel to the continent is up and running. What’s more, in most cases in Africa the only document needed to obtain a visa is an invitation letter from a relative living in the destination country.

Mohamed’s father already lives in Abidjan, where he owns a bakery. “I’ve never been to Côte d’Ivoire before but I’m sure that life is better there compared to here. I’ve done a lot of research on the internet and I hope I’ll meet some Lebanese people once I’m there. I’m looking forward to starting my career and building my life… I have a lot of dreams,” says Mohamed. In the meantime, he is volunteering at a local NGO which distributes food parcels to the families hit hardest by the crisis.

Towns reliant on money from abroad
Most Lebanese nationals stay in Africa for good once they move. A great many of them obtain citizenship in their host country and learn the local language, while continuing to send money to their loved ones back in Lebanon, where public services are sorely lacking. In the southern part of the country, the economy of dozens of towns is fully reliant on such money transfers.

Zrarieh, located 65 kilometres south of Beirut, is a textbook example of this dependency. Officially speaking, the town has a population of 15,000. But, in reality, more than a third of its residents live in Côte d’Ivoire. In 2015, the town’s main road was even renamed “Abidjan Avenue”. “The town’s entire economy is based on immigration. Young people here grow up with the idea that their cousins in Abidjan are richer than them. Women go there to help their husbands. In a way, it’s a vicious cycle,” says the mayor’s wife, Dalida Jezzini. Born in Senegal, she is one of just a few to have emigrated in the opposite direction. “Out of patriotism,” she says.

There was a time when money flowing from Africa was used to build luxury villas. But now with the crisis in full swing, the entire town is reliant on money from abroad. To prevent whole families from sinking into poverty, Lebanon’s Abidjan-based diaspora community have sent some $100,000 back home in recent months. The town’s mayor, Adnan Jezzini, consolidated and redistributed the funds to around 1,000 needy families. “The money covers their daily expenses, medications, hospital bills, education costs, etc.,” he says.

Monitored money transfers
Sending money isn’t easy. Before the crisis, of the diaspora funnelled some of their money through the traditional financial system. But over the past year, Lebanese banks have been limiting cash withdrawals to just a few hundred euros per month. Though money transfer agencies are still open for business, there is no trace of this valuable financial assistance at the Western Union branch in Zrarieh.

https://www.theafricareport.com/52282/lebanon-africa-facing-crises-at-home-lebanese-flee-to-africa/?fbclid=IwAR1ab0Xb0k7kjoRavlKDDtjhcDw2LXpOLkVZHeGgmEyOw7v4kh-Rr35e-ok

I hope they treat host nations with dignity, honesty and respect

...There was a time when money flowing from Africa was used to build luxury villas...


Africa has tremendous potential. The governments need to provide enabling environments for its people to thrive

Simple things like security, electricity and business friendly regulations are enough to kick start the mind to productivity. Lagos has a semblance, though sometimes chaotic, of these that's why it will keep growing despite the endsars burning

Yankee101:
I hope they treat host nations with dignity, honesty and respect

Yes oo, just like what is seen in Australia . Dem don hold ground for Australia sotey Dem dey wrestle the country with the government sef

Nigeria is gradually heading to the direction on Lebanon with out debt profile growing everyday and the current economic crisis.

Governing Lebanon is nightmare! Governments are so weak tjat they can't get anything done, especially making tough decision.


Lebanon is a highly polarized country with about 15 groups, and with their interests protected. This creates a polarized and weak Senate that nothing gets done.

Yankee101:
I hope they treat host nations with dignity, honesty and respect

Interesting, really. What do you think they've got to do to show this respect?

Saidi Lebanon

For real niggarz when dy up to date for the street

Inside life

sinistermind:
Nigeria is gradually heading to the direction on Lebanon with out debt profile growing everyday and the current economic crisis.

In The List Of The Most Debted Nations In D World Nigeria Is Not Even In The Top Hundred Because Obasanjo Paid Off Our Debts When He Was In Power He Even Created An Offshore For Storing Surplus Revenue It Was Valued At $ 2bn But Now Under Buhari It Is Now 73 million dollars, And Buhari Has Been Increasing Our Debt Profile

This is just the beginning. The way the rest of the world is going, from Europe to America to the Middle East, there will soon be millions of them seeking refuge in Africa.

European economies are collapsing as we speak. The US is heading for some really rough times.

The clock is ticking.

Africa the home of the world riches.The natural resources lie under your feet.

Once they enter nigeria that 24yr old will get good job as manager with staff quarter, car, driver, wash maid, cook maid, gardner, gateman. Some of his domestic staffs are graduates themselves. In 5yrs the boy has learnt to speak broken, learnt to slap and kick his domestic staff, learnt to slap his subordinate staff at work, learnt to use nigerian police to terrorize any nigerian that opposes his slap. In 10yrs he has his own construction company or factory and has learnt to smuggle and run all kinds of underground blackmarkets. He still will not pay tax. He calls himself expatriate.

The day of Africa is coming, it's just a matter of time

AsiwajuNdigbo:
Once they enter nigeria that 24yr old will get good job as manager with staff quarter, car, driver, wash maid, cook maid, gardner, gateman. Some of his domestic staffs are graduates themselves. In 5yrs the boy has learnt to speak broken, learnt to slap and kick his domestic staff, learnt to slap his subordinate staff at work, learnt to use nigerian police to terrorize any nigerian that opposes his slap. In 10yrs he has his own construction company or factory and has learnt to smuggle and run all kinds of underground blackmarkets. He still will not pay tax. He calls himself expatriate.

on point

Lebanese have been coming to Africa since 1900.

There are Lebanese that have never been to Lebanon in their entire life.

I hope our youth will read this, there is no place like home, some Nigeria will still go and quee in lebanese embassy begging for visa to go to Lebanon. But it most amazing how this lebanese maintain their dignity and self respect in there host country without saying any negative thing about their own country, unlike Nigeria that will bad mouth there country of how shithole is Nigeria as country

Lebanese people move to Africa and we start treating them like kings we go to their country and they treat us like maids.

You would hardly see Ghana people or south africans complain about them when they do business but let them just spot one Nigerian in the scene all heaven will fall

The monster you created

People are complaining of Africa and someone sees Africa as a place to fulfill his dreams.

One man’s food is another man’s poison.

G

They should come to Nigeria, OUR OIL ECONOMY IS DOING WELL!

Damnnn niggarrrr
Isoright

He should have a rethink o.

That's why it saddens my heart when i see them acting like demi gods in factory's and other Lebanese establishment. Very wicked set of people alongside the Chinese.