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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 73,553 (foreigners) | |
| Languages | |
| English,German,French,Italian,Gujarati,Telugu | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity · Islam · Indigenous religions |
African immigrants to Switzerland include Swiss residents, bothSwiss citizens and foreign nationals, who have migratedto Switzerlandfrom Africa. The number hasquintupled over the period of 1980 to 2007, with an average growth rate of 6% per annum (doubling time 12 years). According to officialSwiss population statistics, 73,553 foreigners with African nationality lived inSwitzerland as of 2009 (0.9% of total population, or 4.3% of resident foreigners — this data excludes immigrants with African ancestry coming from other parts of the world: (Dominican Republic andBrazil).[1] Since the census records nationality, not ethnic origin, there is no official estimate of the number ofnaturalized Swiss citizens from Africa.
Of the 73,553 African nationals recorded in 2007, 78% were considered permanent residents in Switzerland (including recognizedrefugees, accounting for about 8%), while the remaining 22% wereasylum seekers.[2]
Permanent residents with African nationalities, organized by region of origin:
| year | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2009 |
| North Africa | 6,205 | 10,905 | 15,469 | 20,415 |
| East Africa | 1,597 | 3,137 | 7,111 | 12,636 |
| Central Africa | 860 | 3,044 | 7,409 | 11,976 |
| West Africa | 1,390 | 2,601 | 6,488 | 10,842 |
| Southern Africa | 487 | 604 | 1,141 | 1,835 |
| total | 10,539 | 20,291 | 37,618 | 57,704 |
The largest group of residents of North African origin are fromTunisia.[3] The above-average increase of residents fromCentral Africa is due to immigration fromAngola,Cameroon andCongo (Brazzaville). Unofficial estimates exist for a number of African nations. For example, an estimated 1,500 people ofCape Verdean descent lived in Switzerland as of 1995.[4]
Zentrum für Migrationskirchen (literally: Centre for migration churches) comprises eight Protestant churches from four continents, situated in the former church hall of theEvangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zürich inZürich-Wipkingen, being a unique centre in Switzerland for the so-called migration churches, among them one community fromNigeria and one church from theRepublic of Congo.[5][6]
A third of Africans residing in Switzerland areasylum seekers. An additional unknown number have stayed in Switzerland assans papiers after they were refused asylum.[citation needed]
There was a steep surge of asylum requests fromEritrea andNigerians in 2009. In April 2010, the director of the Federal Office for Migration (BFM), Alard du Bois-Reymond, issued a statement on the large number of unfounded requests for asylum by nationals ofNigeria in particular. Du Bois-Reymond said that 99.5% of asylum seekers of Nigerian origin werecriminals abusing the asylum system, entering Switzerland with the intention of pursuing petty crime and drug dealing.[7] The Nigerian ambassador to Switzerland, Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, objected to du Boi-Reymond's statement as an undue generalization.[8]
The question ofrepatriation is regularly raised inSwiss politics in the context ofimmigrant criminality, e.g. in the case of a crime wave that was led mainly byAlgerians inGeneva's Pâquis district, or in the case ofNigerian organized crime on a nationwide scale. Switzerland has several repatriation agreements with African states, withAlgeria since 2006, which has however been stalled due to a refusal to ratify additional protocols on the part of Algeria.[citation needed]
Switzerland has signed a technical agreement on re-admittance in the case ofrepatriation of rejected asylum seekers with four African countries,Guinea,Democratic Republic of Congo,Eritrea andSierra Leone.[9] There is also a repatriation agreement with Nigeria, but this was suspended by Nigeria following the death of a Nigerian citizen during forced repatriation in March 2010.[10] In 2001,Samson Chukwu, a Nigerian asylum seeker, was killed in police custody by asphyxiation after a police officer kneeled on his back.[11][12]
African immigrants face systemic racism in Switzerland.[13] 52% of West Africans have experienced racism in the country.[14]
Notable Swiss people of African origin are found mostly in sports, especially football, includingJosé Gonçalves,Gelson Fernandes,Gilberto Reis,Oumar Kondé,Bruce Lalombongo,Enes Fermino,Badile Lubamba,Hervé Makuka,Mobulu M'Futi,Ugor Nganga,Blaise Nkufo,Cédric Tsimba,Johan Djourou,Owusu Benson,Richmond Rak,Kim Jaggy,Breel Embolo, andManuel Akanji. The only Swiss basketball players ever to play in theNBA includeClint Capela andThabo Sefolosha, who are both of African descent. In music, notable Swiss persons includeNegatif,Dezmond Dez,M.A.M, Dynamike,Mark Sway,Fabienne Louve.[citation needed]
Ricardo Lumengo, originally of Angola, was the second black politician to be elected to theSwiss National Council (2007 Swiss federal election).[15]Mandy Abou Shoak, whose family immigrated fromSudan, is a politician for theSocial Democratic Party and ahuman rights activist. She has been a member of theCantonal Council of Zurich since 2023.[16]
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