
The Nigerian Senate has pledged to collaborate with the executive branch to address the growing issue of brain drain affecting the country’s tertiary institutions, which is having a detrimental impact on national development.
During a recent Senate session, members adopted a motion titled “Urgent Need to Address the Increasing Cases of Brain Drain in the Nigerian University System,” sponsored by Senator Ani Anthony (Ebonyi South). Following the motion’s approval, Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized the need for a collective national effort to tackle the issue.
Akpabio acknowledged that brain drain is driven by various factors, including the migration of highly qualified individuals who are offered lucrative contracts abroad, often after excelling in studies funded by Nigerian agencies. He expressed concern over the rapid rate of brain drain, which has begun to affect the staffing levels of Nigerian universities, urging the National Assembly to work closely with the executive to find solutions.
Senator Ani, in his speech, highlighted that the outflow of highly educated professionals, particularly from academia, has worsened the skills gap and could potentially hinder the nation’s economic progress. He pointed out that a report by the National Universities Commission (NUC) revealed that many universities in Nigeria operate with fewer than half of the required academic staff.
The senator also expressed concerns about the low salaries of Nigerian university lecturers, which have remained stagnant for over 15 years, and which no longer align with the country’s economic realities. He noted that universities in other West African countries offer better working conditions, exacerbating the brain drain problem in Nigeria.
Ani emphasized that the loss of experienced faculty members could significantly diminish the quality of education in the country, particularly in crucial fields such as engineering, medicine, and the sciences. He stressed that this exodus of talent poses a serious threat to the future of Nigeria’s higher education system.
In response to these challenges, the Senate has called on the federal government to increase budgetary allocations for federal universities in the 2025 budget to address these pressing issues.