Navigating the North–South Migration in Ghana: Perspectives of Young Northern Migrants in Sunyani

Although internal migration is a significant contributor to urbanisation and human development in Africa, it has received modest attention from researchers compared to international migration. Both theory-building and empirical documentation of internal migration processes have been neglected. This study applies international migration frameworks to analyse interviews with young people about their migration from rural northern Ghana to Sunyani, an urban centre in the south. The adapted frameworks offer valuable insights into the intersecting factors that shape internal migration when contextualised within local realities, demonstrating that migration decisions are shaped by overlapping structural conditions, individual agency and aspirations. While some migrants seek economic stability with plans to return to the north, others envision staying or moving on to larger cities to pursue their aspirations for a fulfilling life, mirroring the drivers and aspirations of many international migrants. This study contributes to the growing discourse on migration, examining the intersections between migration drivers and research on internal migration.