The African diaspora is growing at an unprecedented rate, with Europe, Asia, and North America hosting the majority of African-born migrants. According to the Schengen Visa Statistics report, the top 10 African countries with the highest Schengen visa applications in 2023 saw a significant increase, with Morocco leading the pack with over 591,000 applications.

This upward trend in African migration to Europe is attributed to a combination of structural and governance factors on the continent, which are projected to increase Africa's cross-border migration to 11-12 million people by 2050 if current trends continue. The Schengen area, comprising 29 European countries, generated $906 million from visa applications in 2023, with $145 million coming from rejected visa applications.

African nationals lost $61 million in application fees to these rejections, with the primary reason for rejection being concerns about the applicant's intention to depart the destination country before the visa expiration date. This trend has significant implications for the tech and startup ecosystem, as it highlights the need for innovative solutions to address the root causes of migration and provide opportunities for African entrepreneurs and innovators.

The top 10 African countries with the highest Schengen visa applications in 2023 are Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Tunisia, Nigeria, Angola, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Kenya, and Ghana. Despite the large application figures, African countries had the highest rejection rates during the period, with a rejection rate of 30% in 2022, compared to a global rate of 17.5%.

This trend is a call to action for the tech and startup community to develop solutions that address the structural and governance factors driving African migration, and provide opportunities for African entrepreneurs and innovators to thrive in their home countries.