Japa: Every sector in Nigeria is haemorrhaging
By Zion Rufus
POV(Point of View): Your colleague, boss, cousin, neighbor, friend, or HR just relocated to the “UK”
Everyone in Nigeria, as of today, knows someone who just left the country in search of greener pastures.
Across healthcare, IMC, and Education, Nigeria is bleeding out its skilled workforce to advanced economies at an alarming rate.
Particularly, the mass migration wave hitting Nigeria’s tech landscape has sent tremors through the martech, adtech, fintech, and healthtech sectors.
Although there are numerous factors responsible for this talent drain, the mass exodus can also be credited to post pandemic demands, Nigeria’s booming startup ecosystem, and the increased adoption of remote work.
In H2 2022, preservation of talents has emerged as one of the key challenges for marketing and advertising agencies as they continue to lose their best hands not only to the search for greener pastures, but also to startups and streaming platforms.
Advertising President, Steve Babaeko said: “The japa situation is not exclusive to the creative and advertising industry as we all know; if you look at the tech space, they are hemorrhaging, the banking sector too is suffering. The healthcare system too is afflicted, the skilled population are leaving in droves. Let’s look at the macro problem that we have as a country. You can take away anything from people, and they will be fine, as long as you leave them with hope. I think what we are seeing is a situation where people can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel, so they have decided to go in search of something to give them hope and purpose.”
So, is the grass really greener on the other side?
We think so.
Speaking once on why talents are leaving ad agencies, trends expert, Frankline Ozekhome shared that: “The creative mind is a restless spirit. There’s nothing like seeing your work come alive on canvas and people loving, appreciating and buying it. The works of agencies only come to the limelight if ideas, creatives and budgets are approved. Secondly, it is widely known that the remuneration on the client side pays better and the focus of effort is streamlined to a particular product, brand or service. There is laser focus on creatives, creativity and creative commerce.”
Yomi Olaniwun, CMO, BB Buzz and former SO&U Head of Brand Management is of the opinion that this transition is fueled by opportunity and financial gain.
“Most ad agencies don’t really have a culture for training their best hands. These creatives would want to join a team where their future is guaranteed of success, or an assurance of learning from the best in the world in terms of training and networking; most brands that poach creative minds from agencies end up making them better in terms of traveling to new places, expanding their networks, and getting better opportunities.”
With firmer intentions, Nigerian talents are continually seeking diverse growth opportunities that the current climate in Nigeria does not seem to permit.
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