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Russia has extended an invitation to Nigerian migrants and others as part of its strategy to address a severe demographic and labour crisis.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed this development revealed on Friday, November 22.
“Migrants are a necessity,” Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti, emphasising that the world’s largest country by landmass is grappling with a shrinking domestic workforce.
“We have a tense demographic situation. We live in the largest country in the world, but there aren’t that many of us.”
This week, Russia's parliament passed legislation banning "child-free propaganda" to encourage higher birth rates.
The move follows years of population decline aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, low fertility rates, and a mass exodus of men fleeing conscription amid the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
According to Rosstat data, Russia's fertility rate stood at 1.41 births per woman in 2023, significantly below the 2.0 replacement rate.
Births between January and September dropped to a historic low of 920,200, marking a 3.4% decrease compared to the previous year. Peskov highlighted that Russia's future development relies on a robust labour force.
“We need a labour force in order to have dynamic development and carry out all our development projects,” he stated.
Despite anti-migrant sentiments targeting Central Asian workers, Peskov said Russian authorities welcome migration, viewing it as a crucial solution to the population crisis.
Earlier in July, the Kremlin admitted that the nation’s dwindling population is “disastrous for the future,” sparking a renewed push for policies encouraging larger families and inviting foreign labour.
