Pope Leo Tells African Students: Build Home, Don't Migrate

When Pope Leo XIV addressed university students in Cameroon last week, he delivered an unexpected challenge: stay home and build the Africa you want to see.

Speaking at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, the Pope acknowledged the pull many young Africans feel to migrate in search of better opportunities. But he asked them to consider a different path.

"I invite you, first and foremost, to respond with an ardent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you are acquiring here to the benefit of your fellow citizens," Leo told the students during his 11-day journey across the continent.

The message addresses a growing trend. According to the World Migration Report, overseas African migration more than doubled between 1990 and 2020, with 11 million Africans moving to Europe, 5 million to Asia, and 3 million to North America. Another 21 million moved to other African countries.

Pope Leo didn't shy away from naming the reasons young people leave. He called corruption "a scourge" that Africa must be freed from, urging students to develop awareness of systemic issues during their education.

The solution, he suggested, lies in the rising generation becoming what he called "witnesses of wisdom and justice" that the continent needs.

Why This Inspires

Pope Leo's message reframes migration from individual opportunity to collective responsibility. Rather than condemning those who leave, he's challenging young Africans to see themselves as essential builders of their nations' futures.

His call comes at a moment when many African countries face political conflict, economic hardship, and widespread poverty. Yet he's betting that educated, spiritually grounded young people can become the change agents their societies need.

The Pope emphasized that through education and formation, students "learn to become builders of the future of your respective countries and of a world that is more just and humane."

It's a message of hope rooted in hard work: that the problems driving displacement aren't inevitable, and that solutions can come from within when a generation commits to staying and serving.