‘Japa’: Bill Gates highlights benefits of ‘a Big Diaspora’ in Nigeria’s development

*Bill Gates, American businessman, Microsoft Chief, philanthropist and Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, declares the Nigerian ‘Japa’ concept is ‘a very healthy thing’ as having a Big Diaspora includes people coming back into business, into government to develop the country’s economy

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Contrary to the common assumption among some Nigerians that the country may be losing most of its best talents (brain drain) to other economies around the world through the ‘Japa’ syndrome, Mr. Bill Gates, American businessman, philanthropist and Co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said this at an event on innovation held Wednesday, June 21, 2023, in Lagos.

Gates stated: “I’m not someone who believes that no one should go away or that blocking that completely is a healthy thing.”

ConsumerConnect reports  the former world’s richest man for years made the remarks on the ‘Japa’ concept in relation to the recent surge in the number of young Nigerian professionals leaving the country for “greener pastures” overseas.

The Microsoft co-founder addressed the so-called “Japa” phenomenon on Wednesday during an interactive session with innovators on ‘Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation’ in Lagos.

He also said: “In a sense, people leaving is a good thing, if you up the amount of training you’re doing.

“Having a big Diaspora that includes people coming back into business, into government – that’s a very healthy thing.”

He as well noted that in an instance where the government provides subsidised medical education, “one almost wishes that a little bit of that resource you get overseas would help the government increase the training”.

According to him, oherwise, there is a significant shortage in some of those skills in the economy.

Gates further stressed: “I am not someone who believes that no one should go away or that blocking that completely is a healthy thing.”

Between Nigeria, India and China in export of talents

In his comparative analysis of export of talents between the West African country, O díá and China, the philanthropist explained that “many” innovative immigrant doctors had spent some time in the UK and the US as part of their training.

He said: “This idea that people go away and do great work but then they come back, if you get that in balance and figure out the education funding piece of that, that is a super healthy thing in computer science, in health, in a business, and other areas.

“You say, ‘Some of our doctors can go get a very high salary in the UK or the US.’

“Some of them will pay to their family broadly and some of them will return.”

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