Japa trend will reverse as economy improves, Tinubu assures youth

By the time President Bola Tinubu took the podium on Monday, the room at the State House in Abuja buzzed with expectation. The air was thick with the urgency of the task ahead and with the hope that perhaps this time, Nigeria’s future might finally turn a corner.

The occasion was the inauguration of the Implementation Committee for the National Youth Conference. This is a 44-member body tasked with shaping policies that will directly impact the country’s young population. But Tinubu’s speech reached beyond the immediate purpose of the day. It addressed something more profound: the exodus of Nigeria’s brightest minds, the so-called japa wave.

“When you listen to most professionals leaving Nigeria, there’s a cause,” Tinubu said, his voice steady but serious. “If you grow prosperity back home and empower people, they will not bother leaving. They will stay home.”

It was a statement that cut to the heart of the matter. The stark reality of doctors, engineers, tech experts, and creatives boarding one-way flights in search of opportunities their homeland couldn’t provide. It’s a reality many Nigerians know too well. But on Monday, the President promised change.

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In his address, Tinubu painted a vision of an economy on the mend. He spoke of the painful decisions his administration has made, like the controversial removal of the fuel subsidy, as necessary steps to secure a better tomorrow.

“Every decision that I have taken is about you. It’s about the future,” he said, directly addressing the country’s youth, who make up more than 60% of the population. “We have cleared the path for you to have a great future.”

For many, that path has been hard to see. Inflation has squeezed households, unemployment remains high, and the cost of living continues to rise. But Tinubu insisted that the tide was turning.

“When we started, it looked so foggy, dicey, and hopeless,” he admitted. “But today, the economy has turned the corner; prices are falling, confidence in our economy is improving, investors are looking this way, and technology is advancing.”

It’s a hopeful assessment though some Nigerians may be waiting for those green shoots of recovery to become more visible in their daily lives.

One of the most striking moments of Tinubu’s speech was his direct appeal to the young people his administration hopes to serve.

“Just look me in the face and tell me whatever you think is wrong and the way forward,” he urged. “Be frank. We will implement your suggestions so long as they are for the country’s prosperity.”

It was an invitation rarely extended by those in power and it wasn’t lost on the young leaders in the room.

Samson Itodo, a committee member and prominent voice for youth inclusion, welcomed the President’s openness. He said the conference and its implementation process which will include virtual consultations, regional town hall meetings, and a final congress in Abuja represent a real chance for young Nigerians to shape their country’s future.

“We need to focus on political governance, economic transformation, artificial intelligence, climate change, energy transition, and security,” Itodo said, outlining the priority areas the committee will tackle.

The National Youth Conference, announced during Tinubu’s last Independence Day address, aims to address critical issues facing Nigerian youth. But beyond policy recommendations, the President’s broader promise of an economy that thrives and a nation that retains its talent is what many will be watching most closely.

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