YOUNG professional developers in Nigeria have bared their minds on why most of their colleagues are eager to leave the country once they acquire the requisite skills in the tech ecosystem.

For 27-year-old Aliyu Gambo, a professional software developer from Kaduna, remaining in Nigeria or ‘japaing‘ abroad is a thought that occupies the mind of most of the people in his industry.

“This is the question I have been asking myself: why is it that a developer will reach a certain level of his career and the thought of leaving the country will creep in,” he said.

His thought is not far from reality as many young Nigerians believe that any slightest opportunity to travel to a foreign land should be embraced. It’s a way to escape the unfriendly working environment in Nigeria.

Japa syndrome is a term used to describe the large number of Nigerians who are leaving the country to seek better lives abroad. It also means to run, flee, or escape.

Reports show there is a talent dearth in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem such that expertise is now being sought from outside Africa to build products used in the country.

Some reasons for the shortage include inadequate developers, the availability of remote work that has enabled Nigerian developers to gain employment outside the country, and the preference by most companies to recruit senior talents.

According to a World Bank Group report, in 2020, there were just 83,000 software developers in Nigeria, with over 200 million people, compared to 630,000 in California, with a population of 39 million.

Gambo says he has done his research and finds out that developers are not well paid in Nigeria, not minding how many years put into the job compared to what other developers earn in foreign countries.

“We Nigerians, we are concerned about the money we pay to developers and not the value they create,” Gambo posits. “Nigerian environment does not encourage many best brains to remain in the country but pushes them out to seek better fortunes outside the country where they render their services.”

While it is good to make good fortunes, he feels otherwise that developers who are running to other countries are selling their ideas to the detriment of their own country.

“You are developing their country. Meanwhile, your country is lagging. The more they go there, the more the country is lacking developers,” he says.

In June 2023, a motion was brought to the House of Representatives on the need to declare the emigration of young Nigerians abroad as a national emergency, pointing to the fact that the japa syndrome seems to have reached a worrying state in Nigeria.

“I think the thing we are lacking in Nigeria is the way we treat our developers,” Gambo opines.

He has a prospect to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven application that could help solve a particular problem in the agro-textile industry, hoping that when the application is launched, it will connect many stakeholders within the value-chain in the agriculture and textile industries.

Lack of resources and support

Gambo says many developers face challenges in the area of resources and support, expressing that remote jobs within Nigeria have not earned the trust.

“If you’re in Lagos or Abuja, you have the privilege of seeing many organisations that need your services.

“If you live in a state where you have companies to employ you, by the time you start working, people will encourage you. You will have other developers to practice with and do projects together.”

He encounters the Financial Services Innovators (FSI) in one of the tech communities he has been involved.

“FSI has helped me. I have undergone more than one programme on FSI,” he recalls.

The organisation help upcoming and tech-savvy enthusiasts to grow and sharpen their passion within the tech ecosystem.

It doesn’t only bring people into a community and train them, it further mentors them and gives them exposure and opportunities to leverage, Gambo, who is barely three years in the profession, hints.

Like many others too, Esther Inyang, a newbie in software development, from Lagos, holds a similar line of thoughts as Gambo.

“It is true that many developers would like to leave the country for greener pastures in more developed countries such as the United States (Silicon Valley), Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, Singapore, etc.

“These developers are largely motivated by better career opportunities for skill enhancement, access to state-of-the-art tech infrastructures, and cutting-edge innovative projects such as healthcare technologies, space exploration technologies, artificial intelligence systems, biotechnologies, decentralised financial technologies, and
Environmental innovations,” she enthuses.

Other enticing factors for the 30-year-old Inyang are work-life balance, higher salaries, stable economic environments, and personal aspirations for international exposure.

On japaing abroad, she says, “My view on this is that Nigeria is our fatherland, and we have the responsibility to take care of what is ours.

“Our youths are smart, intelligent, and talented in many areas; therefore, leaving Nigeria is not the solution to the gaps in those areas we are lacking as a nation; instead, leaving Nigeria is creating more void in these areas that are already staggering.”

“As much as japa may enhance people’s personal growth and development, young Nigerians should not forget that the systems of the developed countries were largely built by the people.

“Hence, if they (Nigerians) must go, I would prefer for them not to stay too long but to bring back the knowledge and experience gathered, to build these technologies and innovative ecosystems in Nigeria,” she suggests.

A 5-year milestone

The ICIR reports that FSI recently marked its 5th anniversary, celebrating incredible years of driving innovation and empowering the Nigerian tech ecosystem.

According to the organisation, the milestone is a testament to the passion, resilience, and dedication of its staff, innovators, zonal leads, state leads, campus ambassador leads, partners, sponsors, and donors who have been instrumental in shaping the journey.

“It had been 5 years of working and partnering with a community of brilliant Nigerians, which include Tertiary Institutions’ students, Financial Services Providers who contributed APIs to the innovation sandbox, international organisations and tech innovators to make Nigeria the ultimate tech hub.

“Together, we’ve nurtured groundbreaking ideas, inspired change, and paved the way for a brighter, tech-driven future,” the executive director of FSI, Aituaz Kola-Oladejo, comments.

An independent risk advisor, Uade Ahimie, commends the efforts and works of FSI to drive the next generation of business leaders towards managing the expectations of tech businesses.