Edited by Gift Vivian Augustine and Toluwalase Solanke
Over time, Nigeria’s tech industry has become an innovation powerhouse, producing a steady flow of skilled engineers, developers, and entrepreneurs.
The Nigerian Tech Industry has witnessed some giant strides from the growth of FinTechs, tech startups, tech learning hubs, and many more. Leading FinTechs and e-commerce companies like Flutterwave, Interswitch, Paystack, Konga, and Jumia demonstrate how brilliant Nigeria’s tech sector is.
Interswitch’s Verve card is the industry leader in cross-border payments, while Flutterwave, valued at $3 billion, excels in this area. Online shopping is being revolutionised by Jumia’s expansion of logistics throughout Africa.
This digital revolution makes Nigeria a significant player in the global technology industry by fostering innovation and job creation. But beneath this overwhelming success and growth, a growing concern arises: The mass migration of Tech experts (popularly known as ‘Japa’) resulting in a Brain Drain.
Punch Newspaper reports that in search of better job opportunities in international digital hotspots like the US, Canada, and the UK, over 20,000 Nigerians, many of whom are tech experts, have reported leaving the country in the last two years.
In the same time frame, more than 10,000 tech professionals departed Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, causing a significant labor market shortage. And every single year, more Nigerian Tech experts are on the move to leave the country. The numbers are significant, and they call for concern.
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Why Are We Losing Our Best Brains in Nigeria’s Tech Industry?
The following factors underline the reasons why the mass migration of Tech experts is on the increase.
1. Growing Demand for Tech Experts Globally
As the Tech industry is evolving, there is growing demand for Tech Experts globally. Companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon and many others are looking to hire Tech experts. They offer juicy offers and conducive work environments. Nigeria has one of the best tech talents who are targeted and offered such opportunities. In pursuit of career growth, they accept such offers and move out.
2. Economic Factors
The current state of the Nigerian economy is not encouraging. The inflation and Naira devaluation all have a significant effect on Nigeria’s economy. This poor economy has led to the collapse of many Tech Startups (Lack of funding and support).
As a result of that, Tech experts make less money and are paid poorly when compared to their colleagues abroad. They have bills to pay and families to cater for. So they grab any opportunity to go abroad where they would earn more and cover their bills.
3. Lack of infrastructure
Lack of infrastructure is a huge challenge. From the lack of a constant electricity supply to poor network connectivity. In 2024, there were serious challenges with the National Grid, which affected the power supply in the country. It was challenging for tech experts to work under such conditions. Also, there have been constant complaints to Telecom Networks over poor network connections.
Poor network connections can be frustrating as they affect the workflow. So, Tech experts, when opportunity presents itself, do not hesitate to leave the country where they could work without frequent network glitches and an insufficient power supply.
4. Limited career advancement opportunities
There are few opportunities for career advancement of Tech experts in Nigeria, while international companies provide better opportunities for career growth and advancement of skills. As a result, many Tech experts leave the country to polish their tech skills.
5. Insecurity
The issue of insecurity on travel routes in Nigeria contributes to the reason why migration of Tech experts is tremendous. The Tech Cabal reported on a Tech expert who decided to leave the country because of the constant attacks on the Abuja-Kaduna rail lines.
What is the Implication of Brain Drain in the Nigerian Tech Industry?
Since this is a complicated matter that has a big impact on Nigeria’s economy and prospects, the repercussions are rather severe. Nigeria and Africa as a whole will lose out on the expertise required to drive local innovation and economic development.
Even while migration to greener pastures provides tech workers with higher pay, opportunities for professional advancement, and better infrastructure, Nigeria’s ability to compete worldwide in the rapidly changing tech sector would be diminished due to brain drain, which can lead to the loss and depletion of the greatest talent, and be harmful to the economy since it eliminates human capital, which is essential for economic progress.
What Is The Way Forward?
According to the Chief Executive Officer of LRA Consulting Limited, Mr Ayoola Lawal, Nigeria’s tech industry plays a crucial role in the country’s future, and if we keep losing talent, we risk stalling our progress.
The Nigerian government has a role to play in supporting the tech industry. This can include creating policies that promote the growth of the industry, providing funding, and improving the technological infrastructure.
The government should also put efforts into addressing the economic and security challenges that are confronting the country. When the economy is thriving and the country is well secured, it would attract investors and discourage migration.
In addition, when the government focuses on building and supporting the tech industry, it encourages the young and best talents to open up startups that would help in expanding the Tech sector.
Also, training and development programmes by the public and private sectors can be vital in bridging the skills gap and providing opportunities and resources for Nigerian Tech experts to work and compete internationally.
Final Thoughts
Nigeria’s tech industry is evolving with a growing landscape that has a promising future with plenty of chances for investors and entrepreneurs in Nigeria and Africa in general. The Nigerian Tech sector has the potential to grow into a significant force that cannot be ignored in the global economy with adequate infrastructure and support.
Also read: 3 Solid Steps To Starting A Tech Business
