Poll: Corruption Is Causing 60% Of Young Africans In Nigeria And Other Countries To “Japa”

A poll of over 5,600 youth in 16 nations released on Tuesday revealed that 60% of African youth, including Nigerians, are eager to leave because unchecked corruption threatens their future.

Based in Johannesburg, the Ichikowitz Family Foundation commissioned a survey of 5,604 individuals between the ages of 18 and 24. They stated that they view corruption as the “single greatest hurdle” standing in their way of realizing their own potential and leading better lives.

Nearly 60% of them plan to move in the next five years, primarily because they don’t think their governments are doing enough to combat this problem.

Yoruba language word “Japa” is a Nigerian slang phrase that has become widely used by young people in Nigeria. The act of swiftly leaving a situation, usually in a fast and urgent manner, is referred to by this phrase.

The 2024 African Youth Survey was carried out through in-person interviews in January and February in nations ranging from South Africa to Ethiopia. The foundation claims that the survey’s scope and size are unmatched.

For this age group, the most popular destination for emigration was North America, which was followed by Western European nations including Britain, France, Germany, and Spain.

The majority of respondents (55%) believed that Africa was going in the “wrong direction,” notwithstanding a slight increase in “Afro-optimism” to 37% from the 2022 survey.

They demand harsher penalties for dishonest politicians, such as a prohibition on their ability to run for office. They also desire an alternative system of governance, according to the foundation.

While around two-thirds of those surveyed support democracy, about 60% preferred a system that is “infused with African culture.”

Almost one in three people think that in some situations, one-party or non-democratic regimes like the military would be desirable.

China’s impact

Seventy-two percent of those surveyed believed that foreign interference was a problem. The foundation expressed their concern that foreign firms are taking advantage of their countries, particularly with regard to the natural mineral riches that is being mined and exported without providing any further benefits to the populace.

Eighty-two percent of respondents thought favorably of China’s impact, and seventy-nine percent said the same of the US.

Russian influence was perceived more positively, especially in Malawi and South Africa, where more than half of those who had a favorable opinion of Russia mentioned that country’s supply of grain and fertilizer.

Most believed that a win by Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the US presidential election would be significantly better for Africa than a victory by Donald Trump.

According to Nico De Klerk, director of communications for the foundation, the African young Survey was first carried out in 2020 with the intention of “giving voice to Africa’s youth in a scientific manner.” It offers helpful data to investors, NGOs, and governments as well.

Africa is home to the youngest and fastest-growing populations in the world.

According to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the median age across the continent in 2020 was 19.7, whereas it was 31.0 in Latin America, 38.6 in North America, and 42.5 in Europe.

According to the African Development Bank, of the approximately 420 million youngsters in Africa between the ages of 15 and 35, one-third are unemployed. By 2050, the population is predicted to have doubled to over 830 million.

PSB Insights carried out the 2024 African Youth Survey in the following countries: Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.

The Japa Syndrome And Nigeria
The elite referred to the widespread migration of Nigerians to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other developed countries in quest of better opportunities as “japa,” a malady that is accountable for brain drain and modern slavery.

According to Professor Godwin Akper, a Systematic Theology expert at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), many Nigerians are leaving the country for wealthy nations due to the unappealing environment there.

Speaking about the “japa syndrome,” Akper stated that Nigeria’s future rested on its people and their early adoption of the values of Ubuntu and hospitality in the nation’s local communities.

The don argues that Nigerian culture ought to be accepting of all people, especially the young people who are departing in large numbers to travel and experience other countries.

According to Akper, “Our early realization of the ethics of hospitality and ubuntu in our local communities is crucial for the future of our dear nation.”

Our graduates struggle to define their identity as Nigerians, despite our instruction on “Nigerian peoples and cultures.” This could be a contributing element to the “Japa” condition that affects both adults and young people in our country.

This could be one of the things causing adults and our young people to have the “japa” syndrome. Our graduates today cheer on their friends who obtain work permits or green cards to start what I see as a path toward economic enslavement in Asia, the Middle East, and the West.

“The aspirations and principles of Africa’s and Nigeria’s founding fathers are no longer with us. We are therefore reaping what we did not plant.

FG Approves A Policy Regarding The Migration of Health Workers
In August, the Federal Government established a new National Policy on Health Workforce Migration, marking the latest effort to address the “Japa” syndrome, which is starting with the health sector.

The minister reiterated the government’s resolve to address the issues pertaining to the nation’s healthcare human resources in a post on X.

He said that the Federal Executive Council meeting, which approved the policy, was chaired by President Bola Tinubu in the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The minister stated, “This policy is a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration—it’s more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals.”

“To meet the healthcare needs of all Nigerians, it envisions a thriving workforce that is well-supported, appropriately rewarded, and optimally utilized.”

Doctors and other related medical personnel have been fleeing the country for better opportunities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other major European countries.

The country lost between 15,000 and 16,000 doctors to the Japa syndrome in the last five years, while roughly 17,000 were moved, according to information released in March by Prof. Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

According to Pate, out of the 300,000 health professionals in Nigeria, an evaluation revealed that between 85,000 and 90,000 of them were licensed Nigerian physicians, which raised serious concerns for the medical community.

Currently, Nigeria employs over 300,000 health workers across all specialties. Physicians, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and other professionals come to mind. We conducted an examination and found that there are between 85,000 and 90,000 Nigerian doctors on our database.

The new policy, according to Pate, aims to facilitate the repatriation and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals who have been living abroad.