BRAIN DRAIN IN NIGERIA

BRAIN DRAIN IN NIGERIA

The flight of the most skilled and suitable professionals from less developed nations, particularly Africa, to advanced nations has been a topic of worry for experts and conscientious persons as the tendency has persisted to rob the continent of its finest human resources. The movement of people, particularly the most skilled and competent, from less developed countries to developed ones where they believe their human resource is valued more is known as brain drain. According to Alem (2016), the phrase “Brain Drain” was first used to characterize the emigration of scientists, engineers, and other professionals from the UK to the US by the British Royal Society. “Brain drain,” as defined by Alem, is the movement of highly educated professionals from developing countries to developed ones like North America and Europe (2016). Chimanikire (2005) defines brain drain as the outmigration of high skilled workers from one country to another, primarily in pursuit of better income or a better lifestyle. This includes professionals in the fields of science, medicine, academia, and engineering. Similarly, it can be viewed of as the deficit of the most educated people and their knowledge when people move to better places, especially from poor nations to developed countries. This is because skilled labor is much cheaper and easier to find in less developed countries than in developed countries. People see this as a problem because most skilled and qualified workers have left their home country to help other countries grow, leaving their own country behind. According to Barka (2000), in twenty-five years, practically all the brightest minds on the African continent will have relocated to the developed world. Alabi said that less developed nations, such as Nigeria, have lost substantial tax revenue due to a brain drain of competent and educated individuals. Paradoxically, developing nations, including Nigeria, require qualified and talented individuals to succeed, but most of the experienced staff boosting North America and Europe’s GDP today is from third world and developing nations.

Todaro & Smith (2006) and Mba & Ekeopara (2012) argued that most professors, engineers, scientists, and other professionals who received substantial financial support for their higher education in developing countries go on to improve the socioeconomic status of those already industrialized nations. According to Mba & Ekeopara (2012) and Kimani (2009), the epidemic of brain drain has cost African nations more than $4 billion annually in professional expatriate labour. According to Chimanikire (2005), the integration of the economy of developing nations into the global market can be linked to the perspective of the brain drain of Africans. He argued that the accessibility of low-priced labour and basic goods on the continent, along with those of other developing nations, had a major role in the integration of Sub-Saharan Africans into the global economy. 10.7% of the educated populace who received their education in Nigeria went on to earn their living abroad, according to Docquier and Marfouk’s (2006) research. In his opinion, 46% and 86%, respectively, of immigrants from Nigeria to Europe and the US are highly educated. According to Clement and Petterson’s research from 2007, 14% of medical professionals working abroad received their training in Nigeria, with 90% of these professionals studying in the UK and US.

CAUSES OF BRAIN DRAIN

Several issues have been cited as the causes or grounds for brain drain in developing nations, particularly in Africa. Among these include wars and political instability, employment possibilities, a higher standard of living, and a favourable climate. These factors can be further characterized as either push or pull factors. Push factors include economic uncertainty, poverty, political turbulence, unemployment, job discrimination, lack of research facilities, poor working environment, underdevelopment, and lack of autonomy.

The pull factors are positive features that frequently result in the migration of qualified and competent individuals from less developed nations to developed nations, such as an excellent economic outlook, the prestige of foreign training, an improved quality of life, higher income jobs with good working conditions, a developed and digitalized system of educational that gives room for quality training, a conducive political climate, and intellectual freedom, among others. Little or no investment, Institutional failure of established institutions, pervasive corruption, and inadequate infrastructures are other issues. Exporting natural resources won’t boost the region’s economy. Corruption has always drawn attention and concern. Bureaucratic organizations on the continent can’t escape this disaster. According to Mba and Ekeopara (2012), nearly all aspect of the economy has become moribund as a result of rampant economic corruption, which has resulted in the normalization of institutional rules and regulations. Corruption is essentially another instance of misusing public confidence or funds for private benefit. A corruption-free society encourages investment and efforts to raise the pie, as opposed to simply battling over its distribution, and consequently growth. Effective governance and low levels of corruption accelerate the growth process for this reason. Due to its devastating effect on the cost of conducting business, inflow of investment inflow, public confidence in government, and overall productivity, corruption and inadequate infrastructure are amongst the greatest impediments to economic growth and development (Coker, Ugwu, & Adams, 2012).

IMPACT OF BRAIN DRAIN

Adding to the economic benefits gained from repatriation, one of the consequences of brain drain is a reduction in service quality due to a shortage of skilled labour in the home countries. The shortage of skilled workers in critical industries such as business, health, education, and science, is an evident result of brain drain. According to Adepoju (2008), the shortage of qualified individuals has a direct and negative effect on the quality of services offered to the public in the home country. He argued that the decline in education quality was due to the emigration of qualified professors and educators. He even went so far as to say that the problem has dampened the enthusiasm for new forms of knowledge development. Graduates’ influence on national economic production is lower than what is expected to be present in a developing economy, as Yesufu (1996) points out. Replacing Nigerians with expatriates from the West is very expensive for the country, costing billions of naira (huge foreign exchange). In addition, it keeps family members apart, encourages criminal behaviour, and negatively impacts the lives of those left behind (Osinowo, 2005). When professors leave their universities in droves to teach in other countries, it can have a negative impact on the quality of research and other results produced by the system, according to Oni’s (2008) analysis. The epidemic of brain drain has resulted in subpar healthcare delivery services in the field of healthcare (Adepoju 2008). Nigerian institutions had the worst impact of the brain drain pandemic between 1980 and 1990. It is an incontrovertible fact that, like other developing nations, Nigeria’s socioeconomic and technological advancement and development have been severely constrained by brain drain, a pressing issue. This is achieved by reducing her natural supply of valued and intelligent labour.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Nigeria’s low economic growth is associated with brain drain, which in turn is tied to the country’s lack of social amenities such as high-quality education, a working health care system, adequate roads, access to clean water and energy, and other amenities that can make life more satisfying. To prevent further brain drain from Nigeria, the following steps are recommended. Governments must provide adequate incentives and processes for migrants and their families to invest remittances in capital-accumulation activities that benefit the economy as a whole. The government must also develop initiatives that can help young people achieve their potential, such as IT innovation centres, support local content, and give opportunity to people who have completed specialized training. Also, there is need for a sound macroeconomic strategy needs to be implemented. In order to prevent academics from leaving the field, it is important for the Nigerian government to adequately support and provide the educational system. Professionals and expatriates should also receive incentives to deter them from using their knowledge outside the country. In conclusion, there should not be any instances of nepotism or corruption at any level of administration in Nigeria.

References

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Chimanikire, D. (2005). Brain Drain: Causes, and Economic Consequences for Africa African Association for Public Administration and Management 27th Aapam Annual Roundtable Conference, Zambezi Sun Hotel, Livingstone, Zambia, 5th – 9th December.

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