Watching a video on how emigration impoverishes and decimates developing economies necessitated these thoughts and possible remedies for us in Nigeria and possibly other African nations.
Emigration, particularly of skilled professionals, is a significant issue for Nigeria. The ongoing “brain drain,” or JAPA, involves the departure of some of the country’s most talented and educated individuals, including doctors, engineers, academics, and financial experts. This exodus has several detrimental effects:
1. Economic Decline: The departure of skilled professionals negatively impacts Nigeria’s economy. These individuals contribute significantly to their sectors, driving innovation, efficiency, and growth. When they leave, the sectors they represent, such as healthcare, banking, and education, suffer from reduced capacity and quality. For instance, the health sector has seen a sharp decline in the availability of qualified doctors and nurses, leading to increased pressure on those remaining and a decline in patient care standards.
2. Leadership Vacuum: Many of those leaving Nigeria are the very people who would have been expected to assume leadership roles in various sectors. Their departure creates a vacuum that is often filled by less qualified individuals, exacerbating issues of poor governance and ineffective management. The result is a worsening of the leadership challenges that many Nigerians already complain about, as the pool of capable leaders diminishes.
3. Wasted Investment in Education: Nigeria invests significant resources in training its professionals. However, when these individuals emigrate, the benefits of this investment are reaped by other countries. Nations like Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom gain from Nigeria’s trained workforce without having to bear the cost of their education. This dynamic represents a net loss for Nigeria, where the resources spent on education do not translate into domestic economic growth or development.
4. Remittances vs. Brain Drain/JAPA: While remittances from the Nigerian diaspora do provide some economic relief, they are not a sufficient compensation for the loss of human capital. The funds sent home are often used for consumption rather than investment, doing little to address the underlying economic challenges that drive emigration. Moreover, reliance on remittances can create a dependency syndrome, where the domestic economy stagnates rather than develops.
5. Sectoral Damage: Specific sectors, such as healthcare and banking, have been particularly hard hit. The healthcare sector, for instance, is experiencing significant shortages of doctors, nurses and specialists. Recent glitches in hospitals can be attributed to the lack of experienced professionals who have left the country. Similarly, the banking sector has seen disruptions, partly due to the loss of skilled personnel who have migrated to countries offering better working conditions and remuneration. Zenith and GT Banks recently had to confront embarrassing issues arising from shortage of skilled personnel.
Possible Remedies
Given the weakness of political and governmental institutions in Nigeria, it is crucial to emphasize the roles that the government, private sector, families, and individuals can play in addressing the challenges posed by emigration.
Government’s Role:
1. Improving Governance and Stability:
– Strengthening Institutions:
The government must prioritize the strengthening of institutions to ensure effective governance. This includes tackling corruption, improving transparency, and building systems that support the rule of law. A stable and well-governed environment will encourage skilled professionals to remain in the country.
– Political Stability: The government should work towards ensuring political stability, which is a significant factor in retaining talent. Instability and insecurity are major drivers of emigration, and addressing these issues through effective policies and law enforcement is essential.
2. Investment in Infrastructure and Services:
– Healthcare and Education:
The government must invest heavily in the healthcare and education sectors. By improving facilities, increasing funding, and ensuring access to quality services, the government can reduce the push factors that drive professionals to leave the country.
-Infrastructure Development: Improving infrastructure, such as transportation, energy, and digital connectivity, can make living and working in Nigeria more attractive. Reliable infrastructure is crucial for businesses and individuals to thrive, reducing the need to seek better conditions abroad.
3. Creating Economic Opportunities:
– Job Creation Policies: The government should implement policies that promote job creation, particularly in high-skill sectors. This includes providing incentives for businesses to hire locally, investing in public works projects, and supporting industries that have the potential to create large numbers of jobs. The Dangote Refinery issue must be quickly resolved as it has massive multiplier effect for our economy.
-Support for Startups and SMEs: The government can support entrepreneurship by offering grants, tax incentives, and subsidies to startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Encouraging local businesses to grow will provide more opportunities for professionals to stay and contribute to the economy. BOI must rise up and do better
4. Engaging the Diaspora:
– Diaspora Bonds and Investments: The government can issue diaspora bonds or create other investment vehicles that encourage Nigerians abroad to invest in the country’s development. This not only brings financial resources into the country but also fosters a stronger connection between the diaspora and their homeland. We thank Abike Dabiri and her teams’ work in this area. She should keep it up. NGX should awake from its slumber and help us.
-Knowledge Exchange Programs: Establish programs that facilitate the return of skilled Nigerians to share their expertise temporarily. These can be structured as short-term consultancy roles or knowledge exchange visits, allowing the country to benefit from global expertise.
5. Education Reform and Retention Programs:
– Aligning Education with Market Needs: The government should reform the education system to ensure it aligns more closely with the needs of the Nigerian economy. By focusing on skills that are in demand locally, the government can help reduce the desire to emigrate for better opportunities.
– Retention Programs: Implement retention programs that provide incentives for graduates to work in Nigeria for a certain number of years after completing their education. These could include loan programs as recently inteoduced, scholarships tied to local employment, or government service opportunities.
Private Sector Involvement:
1. Creating Opportunities and Incentives:
-Job Creation: The private sector can play a vital role in reducing the brain drain by creating more job opportunities within the country. Businesses can focus on expanding operations, investing in new industries, and creating innovative start-ups that provide employment and growth opportunities for young Nigerians.
-Competitive Compensation: Companies should strive to offer competitive salaries and benefits that rival those in other countries. This includes not just financial remuneration but also non-monetary benefits like professional development, healthcare, and work-life balance.
-Talent Development Programs: Private organizations can implement talent development programs, including internships, mentorships, and leadership training, which help retain talent by providing career growth opportunities. They can also sponsor further education and international exposure with a commitment to return and contribute to the company and the country.
2. Encouraging Entrepreneurship:
-Supporting Start-ups: The private sector can foster entrepreneurship by providing seed funding, incubators, and mentorship to aspiring entrepreneurs. This can help to retain innovative minds within Nigeria, creating a vibrant economy driven by local solutions to local problems.
-Promoting Local Content: Businesses can prioritize the use of local resources and talents, reducing dependency on foreign expertise and encouraging the growth of indigenous industries.
3. Changing the Narrative:
-Positive Marketing Campaigns: The private sector can spearhead marketing campaigns that highlight the positives of living and working in Nigeria. By showcasing success stories, they can counterbalance the negative perceptions and inspire confidence in the country’s potential.
-Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Companies can engage in CSR activities that improve community welfare, education, and infrastructure, thereby enhancing the quality of life and making the country more attractive to live and work in.
Family and Community Involvement:
1. Promoting National Pride:
-Positive Reinforcement:
Families can play a crucial role in reinforcing a sense of national pride and identity. By emphasizing the value of contributing to one’s country, parents and elders can instill a sense of responsibility in younger generations to stay and build Nigeria rather than leave.
– Balanced Discussions: While it is important to acknowledge the challenges facing the country, families should encourage balanced discussions that also focus on the opportunities and progress being made. Highlighting positive developments can help counter the negative narratives that often dominate conversations.
2. Education and Career Guidance:
– Focus on Local Opportunities: Families should actively seek and present local educational and career opportunities to their children. This includes exploring scholarships, internships, and career paths that are available within Nigeria and can lead to fulfilling and prosperous careers.
-Encouraging Resilience: Instilling a mindset of resilience and problem-solving in children can help them navigate challenges in Nigeria rather than seeking emigration as the first solution. Families can encourage their children to be part of the change they wish to see.
3. Community Support Networks:
-Building Strong Communities: Families and local communities can create support networks that provide emotional, financial, and professional assistance to their members. These networks can help mitigate the hardships that drive people to leave, creating a more supportive environment at home.
-Celebrating Local Successes: Communities should celebrate local achievements and recognize individuals who contribute positively to society. This not only boosts morale but also sets examples for others to follow, fostering a sense of collective progress.
Individual Responsibility:
1. Becoming Ambassadors for Change:
– Positive Ambassadors: Individuals should strive to be positive ambassadors for Nigeria, both within the country and abroad. By focusing on the positives and contributing to solutions, individuals can help change the narrative and encourage others to do the same.
-Investing in the Local Economy: Instead of looking outward, individuals should consider investing in local businesses, startups, and communities. This not only helps build the local economy but also creates opportunities that may encourage others to stay.
2. Leveraging Global Experiences for Local Benefit:
-Returning with Knowledge: For those who do emigrate, there should be an emphasis on returning with the knowledge, skills, and resources acquired abroad to contribute to Nigeria’s development. This can include starting businesses, participating in government, or mentoring the next
We all have roles to play. Governments alone can not do it all. Communities, Religious organizations of which we have in millions, Families and individuals should play key roles in helping build Nigeria, the only country we can call ours with hesitation.
God bless Nigeria
Demola Aladekomo
Chairman
Chams HoldCo PLC
LAGOS, Nigeria