TSSF 5.0: Industry Leaders to Address Brain Drain Challenge in Nigeria’s Telecom Industry

Leading figures in the telecommunications and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors are set to gather for the fifth edition of the Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum (TSSF 5.0).

The event themed “Mitigating the Effect of Talent Exodus and its Impacts on the Growth of Nigeria’s Telecommunications Industry” is carefully designed to explore and highlight one of the critical challenges facing the sustainability of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector. This conference, organised by Business Remarks, is scheduled to take place on Thursday, 19th September 2024, at CITIHeight Hotel, Opebi-Sheraton Link, Ikeja Lagos, by 10:00 a.m (WAT).

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek  report that this conference will feature keynote speeches, thought-provoking discussions, innovative presentations, and networking opportunities from renowned industry experts, providing stakeholders with valuable insights, knowledge, and practical strategies to rethink the possibilities and challenges facing the sector.

Confirmed speakers include the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida; the National Coordinator, the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), Dr Olufemi Adeluyi; Chairman of ALTON, Engr Gbenga Adebayo; Digital Realty Chief Executive Officier, Engr Ikechukwu Nnamani; Open Access Data Center CEO, Dr Ayotunde Coker; Zoracom CEO, John Nwachukwu; Co-Founder, Infratel Africa, Mr Tola Yusuf among others.

Speaking about the event, the convener of the forum and Managing Editor of Business Remarks, Bukola Olanrewaju, noted that the Nigerian telecom sector is currently grappling with a multitude of challenges. These include unreliable power supply, rising operational costs, frequent call drops, poor network coverage and the high naira-to-dollar exchange rate has hampered telecom companies’ ability to invest in new equipment and infrastructure, further exacerbating these issues.

“Sadly, the sector has started to experience a huge depletion in its talent workforce, a severe brain drain,” she said.

Olanrewaju stressed that the escalating depletion of talent and skilled workforce in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy is a pressing concern. “This loss of human capital poses a significant threat to the nation’s productivity and economic growth.

“The brain drain exacerbates existing skill shortages, hindering the country’s ability to innovate and develop domestically. If left unchecked, this trend could cripple the Nigerian economy.”

According to the International Organization for Migration (UN Migration), international migration is shaped by economic, geographic, demographic, political, and other factors.

Studies have also revealed that the departure of skilled workers diminishes the productivity of various industries, ultimately impacting economic output and growth. Companies and businesses may struggle to find qualified personnel or workforce, leading to decreased efficiency and competitiveness in both domestic and international market space.

The technology and telecom sector have seen a considerable loss of talents within the last 5 years to various western countries.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics also stated that Nigeria has lost about 10 billion dollars annually due to brain drain (mass migration) since 2010. Similarly, data from the World Bank show that Nigeria’s GDP growth has been negatively affected by the migration of skilled workers.

The Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum fifth edition (TSSF 5.0) is a platform for stakeholders, experts, and policymakers to discuss the root causes, impacts, and potential solutions to this pressing issue. By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, this event aims to contribute to the development of effective policies and initiatives to mitigate the effects of brain drain and promote the growth of the Nigerian economy.