Reverse Brain-Drain Approach to Socio-Economic Development: A Panacea to Japaism in Nigeria

This study explores the reverse brain drain strategy as a viable solution to the rising trend of JAPAISM; a wave of emigration by skilled and educated Nigerians in pursuit of better opportunities abroad. The persistent outflow of human capital has weakened socio-economic development by depleting talent and undermining the returns on public investment in education. Guided by the push-pull theory of migration, the study employed a qualitative research design and employed data from primary sources (interviews and focus group discussions) and secondary literature. Findings identify unemployment, poor wages, insecurity, corruption, and inadequate infrastructure as the main drivers of migration. Consequences include diminished domestic capacity, loss of tax revenues, and erosion of public trust in political leadership. In response, the study proposes a sequenced framework of policy actions anchored in the Push–Pull model but tailored to Nigeria’s institutional realities.