Brain drain from Nigeria, nicknamed Japa[1] (meaning run or to flee in Yoruba) is the exodus of middle-class and highly skilled Nigerians which has been occurring in waves since the late 1980s to early 1990s.
This trend was initially restricted to certain professions but has now become free for all with the introduction of visa programs in order to fill workforce gaps in developed nations.
[6] Paucity of healthcare resources and poor funding of the health sector, leading to frequent strikes has also been identified as a factor affecting brain drain in Nigeria.
[5] Similar findings were noted in the #CanadaRush Study carried out by the African Polling Institute (API) which identified Nigeria's poor economic performance, lack of security of lives and property and the poor leadership as the ultimate and marginalization "push factors" and a driver of recent emigration pattern to Canada which has also introduced immigration policies with a background enabling environment.
[8] Chris Ngige, Nigeria's minister of labor alluded the brain drain to having excess doctors therefore necessitating export.
This led to significant student uprisings and a mass exodus of the expatriates as well as a net export of Nigerian skilled workers.
[3] Some solutions that have however been proffered to the protracted problem of brain drain including good leadership, mass employment, better salary and working conditions as well as a system for rewarding diligent staff.
[2] It is pertinent that efforts should be made to create an enabling environment by improving upon existing policies in order to foster economic prosperity and development of the nation.
It was also suggested that the government should strengthen policies and programs which are aimed at actively managing human capital migration from Nigeria by interacting with foreign partners.