Abstract:

The issues of African diasporas, who are transnational non-state actors have become subject of bilateral, regional, and global discussions. The study raises the question of migration, integration and social cohesion thereby discussing the essential roles of the Nigerian diasporas  and Ghanaian diasporas in Ghana and Nigeria towards socio-economic development of both home and destination countries. The paper focuses on the roles of non-state actors in the development of home and destination countries and the extent of their interaction with the State. Drawing on both primary and secondary sources with the methodology that is largely qualitative, the paper situates its arguments on the back and forth movements of the Ghanaian and Nigerian diasporas within the Sub-region of West Africa and their contributory functions in developing the social and economic contexts of Nigeria and Ghana. The paper seeks to highlight these roles and recommend that if the socio-economic contributions are harnessed effectively by the governments of the two countries, it will actually facilitate the actualisation of the Sub-regional integration agenda of ECOWAS. Permeation of ideas, norms, values beliefs are essential in promoting healthy society devoid of wars, conflicts, destruction. It also strengthens cross-fertilisation of ideas, thereby resuscitating genuine unity and sustaining   ingenuity that are being eroded in West Africa due to arbitrary creation of countries in the sub-region.