Understanding the braindrain in the african diaspora. Its unarguable fact that nigeria have way too smart brains enriching western world by contributing to their economic development. Pdf migration of people from one place to another in countries of the world in search of. Brain drain has reached alarming proportions in african countries, with ethiopia ranking first in the continent in terms of rate of loss of human capital. Hence it is not surprising that we fail to identify any. A study of factors influencing brain drain among medical. Abstract according to oxford advanced learners dictionary brain drain is the movement of highly skilled and qualified people to a country where they can work in better conditions and earn more money. The aim of this paper, with some models illustrating the subject matter, is to explore the nature and effects of brain drain on african development and ultimately pinpoint possible positive.
The agonies of an ailing giant paperback january, 2009. Nigeria, egypt, morocco and zimbabwe have also been affected. When we look at the greatest resources of every nation, it is the human resource of the country. Aug 30, 20 in the present day nigeria, the same scenario still abounds but in a new dimension. Brain drain definition of brain drain by merriamwebster. Such things like nepotism, tribalism and quota system. Health care industry health, general government brain drain health aspects medical personnel physiological aspects workers. The next section situates brain drain within nigerias context. One conspicuous example is its inability to meet up with the healthrelated aspects of the millennium development goals mdgs scheduled to lapse this year. The brain drain syndrome is a critical issue affecting the human resource development index of the nigerian nation as more nigerian professionals in diverse fields, especially in health and education sectors of the nations economy, are almost on a daily basis, leaving the shores of the country for europe, america and canada among other developed countries in the world in search of greener. In the present day nigeria, the same scenario still abounds but in a new dimension. The viewscontents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of and do not necessarily reflect those of the nigerian voice. The terms brain drain, migration and the current situation of nigerias development. Jun 01, 2010 kevin idehen recently completed an mba 09 at the london south bank university and his dissertation topic was.
Obidike3 1department of economics and development studies, federal university, ndufu alikeikwo, ebonyi state, nigeria. Mar 31, 2008 3 brain drain has a positive effect on skill accumulation that appears to offset one for one the loss of skills to the brain drain. One of the era students carefully and candidly outlines her plan to contribute to nigerias brain drain, saying, i want to achieve my personal goals, become an engineer or a doctor. As a result, developing countries including nigeria loose significant tax revenue when a brain drain of highly skilled individuals occurs. Effect of brain drain to africa this twentyfirst century. Ipinyomi, university of ilorin, nigeria by brain drain we are referring to an international transfer of resources in the form of human capital that is not recorded in any official balance of payments statistics.
National actual expenditure on education as a percentage of gdp rs in million items. This paper is accompanied by a powerpoint that has been slightly revised from my oral presentation at the honors program conference on may 4, 2010. Kevin idehen recently completed an mba 09 at the london south bank university and his dissertation topic was. Nigeria is the most populous black nation on earth. For the purpose of this essay, those nigerians studying in the united states of america are not included as constituting the brain drain. The concept of brain drain was first used by the british royal society to describe a. References kano government, nigeria and the brain drain adepoju a. The brain drain clearly slows down or even stops the development of underdeveloped or developing countries who are only attractive for their low wages or natural recourses. This perennial situation made the study to examine the factors.
Brain drain is a slang term indicating substantial emigration or migration of individuals. At her lab in nigeria, she just wants to get on with her research into drugs to combat endemic local diseases like malaria. The brain drain academic and skilled migration to the uk. Brain drain has significantly affected efforts at human resource mobilization for economic development and consequently eroded nigerias leadership role in africa in spite of its enormous population. Addressing nigerias brain drain by hugh levinson lack of funding is frustrating scientists. Alongside positive feedback effects from remittances, circular migration, and the participation of highskilled migrants in business networks, innovation, and transfers of. Pdf leadership, brain drain and human capacity building. Escalation of brain drain in nigeria from poor leadership point of view, aliyu 2005 titled an examination of the causes of brain drain in nigerian universities, okolo et al 2014 titledeffect of brain drain of librarians on service delivery in some selected nigerian.
Drain with a specific emphasis on developing countries in africa and on academic labour in the uk. Mar 31, 2008 but when we discussed her decision to join the brain drain, we were evidently entering painful territory. Nigeria has been adjudged a top emigration country on account of the continuous efflux of its human resources to all parts of the world. This perennial situation made the study to examine the factors influencing brain drain among the medical personnel in nigeria, using a selected university teaching hospital complex as a case study.
The scope of the study centres on the brain drain of the nigerias socioeconomy in respect to. Is there any solution to the brain drain of health. Skilled emigration rate average emigration rate x schooling gap. Brain drain and human capital formation in developing. William easterly and yaw nyarko new york university july 2007 rev. These days, there is a far more significant sucking sound, one that concerns the whole world and one that could impede collective efforts to make poverty history. It focuses on solutions that have been proposed and implemented in the past and then propose a more promising solution. Image courtesy of buck pago although a drive to employ more state health workers prompted a 30% increase in the number of doctors hired and a 21. The absence of these experts in nigeria, as a result of brain drain has adversely affected economic growth in the nation.
What is the effect of brain drain in nigeria economy. Keeping this in mind, one can use a simple multiplicative decomposition of the brain drain. It is the citizens participation in the wellbeing of the country that drives the country forw. Brain drain meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. That new sucking sound is being made by highly skilled people leaving developing countries and heading to the developed world. Apr 17, 2019 brain drain is a slang term indicating substantial emigration or migration of individuals. May 26, 2015 the future of nigerias health system is precarious in view of the huge challenges this single problem of brain drain contributes to the nations health sector. Jan, 2009 he was born in ikereekiti, in the south western part of nigeria, where he spent his childhood and adolescent years, punctuated by a brief spell in the north during the nigerian civil war. These causes range from lack of employment, poor remuneration for top flight intellectuals and. Pdf leadership, brain drain and human capacity building in. When nigeria won the africa cup of nations, she tried to sing along to the nigerian national anthem, quickly realizing that she didnt know the words, but resolving to work harder to honor her african roots. Brain drain has significantly affected efforts at human resource mobilization for economic development and consequently eroded nigeria s leadership role in africa in spite of its enormous population.
Causes of brain drain the causes of hard brain drain box 1 have been described by many authors 1,6,7. Contrary to a lot of the worries expressed in the media and in aid agencies, the brain drain is. The phenomenon refers to the departure of highly skilled individuals from organizations, industries, and. References kano government, nigeria and the brain drain. Aug 24, 2018 when we look at the greatest resources of every nation, it is the human resource of the country. Before the 1960s, the brain drain from developing countries in. April 2008 abstract we build upon recent literature to do several exercises to assess benefits and costs of the brain drain to africa. We first assess the magnitude, intensity and determinants of the brain drain, showing that. By that standard, nigeria registers about a quarter of the mds it needs, but it has only about 10. He studied in nigeria, cotedivoire and brazil, holding a bachelors degree in frenchportuguese, combined honors, and a masters degree in international law. Understanding the escalation of brain drain in nigeria from.
A brain drain can result from turmoil within a nation, the existence of favorable professional. This economic situation deeply affected the medical groups that migration became the chorus of the medical personnel. We first assess the magnitude, intensity and determinants of the brain drain, showing that brain drain or highskill migration is becoming. The side effect of brain drain in globalisation economics. Understanding the escalation of brain drain in nigeria. Sep 03, 20 the brain drain is a myth in the philippines, but shortages of health professionals abound in rural areas. Micro evidence from an african success story catia batista university of oxford and iza aitor lacuesta bank of spain pedro c. Instead of staying here and saying, i want to improve my country, i will go and improve myself. It now involves movement of highly skilled manpower from the country to developed societies. Endowed with such enormous human and material resources, it should be a veritable giant, ranked among the political and economic powerbrokers of the world. To reverse brain drain and boost economic growth, the nigerian government should create a conducive environment for investment that will ensure employment opportunities and reduce poverty. First we need to discourage what fuels brain drain in nigeria.
Brain drain is also simply described as human capital flight. Reassessing the impacts of brain drain on developing countries. Impact of brain drain on the quality of education in moi. Contrary to a lot of the worries expressed in the media and in. Brain drain and national development in nigeria political. Pdf understanding the escalation of brain drain in nigeria from. Both nnamdi azikiwe, nigerias first president, and kwame nkrumah. According to the cambridge dictionary 20 brain drain is defined as the situation in which large numbers of educated and very skilled people leave their own country to live and work in another where pay and conditions are better. Bbc news sciencenature addressing nigerias brain drain.
Leaving nigeria was a difficult decision but she argues that the lack of funding for science there left her with little choice. He said more doctors have already joined the migration train this year. Among other things, this paper finds out if there is a relationship between poor. The regions principally affected are again the least developed countries. The brain drain from developing countries a brain drain can also have benefits for home countries. The brain drain is a myth in the philippines, but shortages of health professionals abound in rural areas. Commentary, report by canadian journal of public health. Understanding the escalation of brain drain in nigeria from poor leadership point of view. Most lecturers have a good brain, but the environment to express this knowledge is not there, she told me. Managing ruralurban migration and brain drain for sustainable economic recovery in nigeria. The data on the brain drain really represent snapshots, or moments in time, of stocks of human capital residing abroad versus in the home country. Brain drain and national development in nigeria abstract the thrust of this work is the evaluation of the expropriation of nigerias vital human resources through the brain drain and its implications for its overall development. The western countries have been the beneficiaries of massive outflow of skilled professionals from developing economies. Pdf the effect of brain drain on the economic development of.
For each country of the sample we then estimate the net effect. The economic depression of the late 80s has made work force groups particularly in the medical industry to look beyond their nose and seek for greener pasture somewhere outside their environ at all cost. To reverse brain drain and boost economic growth, the nigerian government should create a conducive environment for investment that will. The problem of brain drain has reached quite disturbing proportions in certain african countries, with ethiopia ranked first in the continent in terms of rate of loss of human capital, followed by nigeria and ghana. The future of nigerias health system is precarious in view of the huge challenges this single problem of brain drain contributes to the nations health sector. Nigerias brain drain problem the pointer news online.
Brain drain definition is the departure of educated or professional people from one country, economic sector, or field for another usually for better pay or living conditions. Point of view, an examination of the causes of brain drain in nigerian universities. It is also clear that the returned migrants have big impacts on their countries. It is the major indicator of the future of the country. Three hundred nigerian doctors left the country in 2016, the national president, nigerian medical association nma, prof. Aug 01, 2005 these days, there is a far more significant sucking sound, one that concerns the whole world and one that could impede collective efforts to make poverty history. Understanding the escalation of brain drain in nigeria from poor. Alongside positive feedback effects from remittances, circular migration, and the participation of highskilled migrants in business networks, innovation, and transfers of technology, consider the effect of figure 2. Among other things, this paper finds out if there is a relationship between poor leadership of the country and escalation of brain drain. This paper attempts to answer this very question through examination of what is meant by brain drain, followed by analyzing the hard facts, significance and consequences for the continent.
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