African Brain Drain and Its Impact on Source Countries: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know?

Abstract While there appears to be deep and growing concern for the brain drain from Africa, lack of adequate data has so far prevented a comprehensive analysis of its magnitude and its impact on source countries. Using original datasets on international migration, this paper addresses both issues. It shows that many African economies lost a considerable part of their highly skilled labor force due to migration to developed countries. The article also highlights that significant effort is still needed, in terms of data collection and empirical analysis, before drawing clear conclusions on the effects of the brain drain on Africa.