With nearly half of Nigeria’s population expressing interest in relocating abroad, as Gallup recent data indicates, the desire to seek greener pastures has become more prominent. When surveyed, 1 in 2 Nigerians say they would want to move abroad for work, school or to expand their business.

This trend, fueled by economic and political instability, suggests a rising number of skilled Nigerians could enrich foreign workforces and economies. While it offers opportunities for individual growth and development, it also raises concerns about a potential brain drain.

The desire to seek better opportunities abroad is understandable. Nigeria’s talented youth, often stifled by systemic challenges, are eager to contribute to the global workforce. It’s not just Nigeria, Liberia for instance according to the report by Gallup has more than 70% of its surveyed population showing interest in moving abroad.

“More than a third of Africans want to move permanently to live somewhere else, a new high, according to a 2023 survey by Gallup. In 2012, 29% wanted to migrate; last year the number was 37%”, says Alexandra Onukwue who writes for Semafor.

However, this exodus can have detrimental effects on the nation’s economic growth and development. As skilled professionals leave, the country loses valuable human capital that could drive innovation and create jobs.

To address this issue, it’s crucial to create an environment that fosters talent and innovation within Nigeria. This involves implementing policies that promote economic growth, reduce corruption, and improve the quality of life. Additionally, investing in education and skills development can equip young Nigerians with the tools they need to succeed.

This is why Vesti is playing an important role as a “Software Engineering Location of Choice” and its dedication to nurturing and developing top talent.

The company has ambitious plans to create over 600 engineering jobs in Lagos over the next two years and 1,500 new engineering jobs in the state by 2027. Although the Dallas-headquartered Vesti serves users from over 15 countries through its mobile apps and website, it has notable presence in the UK, Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria and recently expanded to Canada.

Olusola Amusan, CEO of Vesti, highlights the significance of this migration. “Nigeria is full of talented individuals eager to make a difference, and they are looking globally for opportunities.

Vesti is committed to making that transition as smooth as possible by equipping them with the right resources to succeed abroad,” Amusan said. Amusan emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to migration. “We can’t stop migration, but we can make it seamless, while building room for creative ways for immigrants to send money back home and develop their home countries”, Amusan continues.

While it’s essential to support those seeking opportunities abroad, it’s equally important to create a thriving ecosystem within Nigeria. By investing in education, technology, and entrepreneurship, Nigeria can retain its talent and drive economic growth.

As global economies increasingly need skilled labor, platforms like Vesti are meeting a critical need, helping individuals navigate complex immigration processes.

However, the challenge is ensuring that this migration trend contributes positively to both Nigeria and host countries.

The UN Office on Migration warns against the risks of “brain drain” and emphasizes the need for balanced migration policies. Since the Vesti app allows people from other countries to move to Nigeria by showcasing Nigeria’s strategic advantages, the app is one the ways Amusan things we can balance the scales.

To fully harness the power of migration to create a better future for all, a concerted effort is needed from both the Nigerian government and the international community. The Nigerian government must prioritize education and skills development to equip young people with the tools they need to succeed in a globalized world.

Creating a conducive business environment, reducing corruption, and promoting transparency are essential for attracting investment and fostering innovation. By implementing these measures, Nigeria can retain its talent and encourage entrepreneurship. Retention is however becoming an old trick, countries are trying export, talent export.

The idea of talent export is to partner with multinationals in destination countries, cities, states and national governments, to export talent with the intent to bring foreign direct investment or simply remittances back to the home country. There are a couple of white papers that further explain this model.

International cooperation is crucial in addressing the complex issues surrounding migration. Countries should collaborate to establish skilled worker programs that benefit both sending and receiving nations.

Encouraging the diaspora to contribute to Nigeria’s development through investments and knowledge sharing can also have a significant impact. Additionally, it’s imperative to ensure fair labor practices and protect the rights of migrant workers.

With this trend likely to continue, countries need to recognize the value Nigerian immigrants bring. By easing entry for skilled Nigerian professionals, host countries stand to benefit from a motivated workforce ready to contribute.

At the same time, initiatives like Vesti with over 800,000 downloads in the Google Playstore, are crucial for empowering these professionals to be both successful and well-integrated abroad.

Despite how many people love Vesti, its current success is still a scratch in a market where Vesti wants to help 50m-100m people by 2028.  Vesti’s apps can be downloaded in App Store and the Google Play store or via Wevesti.com

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to order the investigation of alleged ₦57 billion of public funds “missing, diverted or stolen” in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021 under President Muhammadu Buhari government.

This was contained in a statement on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.

SERAP urged the President to “direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and appropriate anti-corruption agencies” to probe the allegations.

The missing funds were captured in the 2021 audited report released last week by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation.

SERAP said: “The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations.

“The allegations also suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anticorruption legislation, and international anticorruption obligations.”

According to SERAP, anyone found guilty should be punished by law, and “any missing public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

The statement said: “Hundreds of billions of naira are also reportedly missing in other Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, [the ministry] in 2021 failed to account for over N54 billion [N54,630,000,000.00] meant to pay monthly stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021.

“The money was ‘not directly paid to the beneficiaries.’ The Auditor-General is concerned that the money ‘may have been diverted.’

“He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury. He also wants suspected perpetrators of the diversion to be sanctioned in line with the Financial Regulations.”

A recent report by the Auditor-General of the Federation has uncovered financial irregularities totaling over N197.72 billion across various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in Nigeria.

The report, which highlights systemic lapses in financial compliance and procurement processes, focuses on activities between 2020 and 2021.

The findings are detailed in the Auditor-General’s Annual Report on Non-Compliance and Internal Control Weaknesses and aim to assist stakeholders, including the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committees, in addressing the identified lapses and recovering lost funds.

One of the key revelations involves irregularities in the award of contracts amounting to N7.39 billion across 32 MDAs. These breaches contravened Paragraph 2921(i) of the Financial Regulations (2009), which mandates open competitive bidding for all procurement processes.

“The sum of N7,386,551,051.09 (seven billion, three hundred and eighty-six million, five hundred and fifty-one thousand, fifty-one naira, nine kobo) was the amount of irregularities in the award of contracts by 32 ministries, departments, and agencies,” the report stated.

The Rural Electrification Agency, Abuja, recorded the highest irregularity in this category, amounting to N2.12 billion, while the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM) accounted for the lowest irregularity, at N11.72 million.

Another major finding was the payment of N167.59 billion for jobs or contracts that were either partially executed or not executed at all, violating Paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations.

“The sum of N167,592,177,559.40 (one hundred and sixty-seven billion, five hundred and ninety-two million, one hundred and seventy-seven thousand, five hundred and fifty-nine naira, forty kobo) was the amount of payments for jobs/contracts not executed by 31 ministries, departments, and agencies,” the report noted.

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, Abuja, accounted for the highest irregular payment at N100 billion, while the National Centre for Women Development recorded the least irregularity at N2.17 million.

Violations of due process in contract awards were also highlighted, totaling N20.33 billion across 24 MDAs. Section 16(21) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 requires strict adherence to procurement plans and mandatory approvals before contract awards. However, the report found these requirements were often ignored.

“The sum of N20,334,104,016.27 (twenty billion, three hundred and thirty-four million, one hundred and four thousand, sixteen naira, twenty-seven kobo) was the amount of contracts awarded in violation of due process by 24 ministries, departments, and agencies,” it read.

The NSPM, Abuja, accounted for the highest amount of violations in this category, totaling N14.14 billion, while the Corporate Affairs Commission recorded the least, at N8.98 million.

Additionally, contracts worth N2.41 billion were awarded above approved financial thresholds without obtaining the required “Certificate of No Objection” from the Bureau of Public Procurement.

“The sum of N2,407,710,913.92 (two billion, four hundred and seven million, seven hundred and ten thousand, nine hundred and thirteen naira, ninety-two kobo) was the amount of contracts awarded above the threshold by five ministries, departments, and agencies,” the report added.

The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, recorded the highest amount of violations in this category at N1.06 billion, while the Federal Medical Centre, Bida, accounted for the least amount, at N9.9 million.

The report categorized these issues as “cross-cutting,” indicating systemic flaws across multiple MDAs. It criticized weak internal controls within the agencies and called for stricter enforcement of financial regulations to prevent future occurrences.

The revelations have raised concerns about the government’s ability to manage public funds efficiently, especially amid economic challenges such as inflation and rising debt.

In response to the report, the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) has demanded a thorough investigation into alleged misappropriation of N4.64 billion by the Ministry of Works and Housing, under the leadership of Babatunde Fashola.

The Auditor-General’s report identified financial irregularities in the housing sector between 2020 and 2021, including payments made without proper documentation, extra-budgetary expenditures, mobilisation fees exceeding approved thresholds, and contracts awarded without following due process.

These findings underscore the urgent need for reforms to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s financial management system and ensure accountability for public funds.