The resignation letter sits on my desk – another “japa” departure. Our third this month.
Once, we planned development paths spanning years. Now, we wonder if investing in talent is pouring water into a leaking bucket. After watching our meticulously trained analyst leave for Canada with three days’ notice, the question haunts us: Why develop people who won’t stay?
Yet the alternative – not developing our people – guarantees failure. We’re recalibrating, creating shorter development cycles with immediate impact for both organizations and individuals. We’re scrambling to build alumni networks that turn departures into distant partnerships.
More troubling are the whispering campaigns, the side-eyes at anyone practicing English accents or researching visa requirements. The departure of colleagues breeds both resentment and contagious dreaming among those who remain.
This isn’t just Nigeria’s challenge – from Ghana to Zimbabwe, Kenya to South Africa, organizations watch their talent scatter across the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. The African talent diaspora grows while continental businesses struggle to maintain continuity.
Perhaps we’re witnessing not just economic migration but a fundamental shift in the social contract between African professionals and employers. But what if this exodus is neither permanent nor inevitable? What if we’re witnessing a pendulum that will eventually swing back?
