Nigeria’s diaspora is a great economic asset: Value it!

    Olu Fasan | Opinion | Apr 28, 2025    
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Two pejorative terms are used to describe the phenomenon of Nigerians emigrating to other countries. One is “japa”, a word that became so popular it has entered the Oxford English Dictionary. According to the OED, to “japa” means “to leave Nigeria for another country (esp. one in Europe or North America) in search of further education, employment, or economic opportunity.” More generally, it also means “to escape, to flee.” The other pejorative term is “brain drain”, a well-worn phrase describing a situation where a country loses its highly trained or qualified people to other countries through emigration.

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