Youth Migration and the “Japa Crisis” in Nigeria

In the last 2 years, migration has attained a novel dimension in Nigeria. Consequently, there is a growing trend of emigration to developed countries in Europe and North America. In Nigeria, “japa” is a vocabulary and common terminology used as a metaphor to describe emigration. Although, emigration of the citizens cuts across diverse age range and various spheres of human endeavor. However, the majority of these emigrants are youths between the ages of 18–35. The recent trend in migration raises a cause for concern with respect to the impacts of emigration on the growth and development of Nigeria. This is more so given the negative impacts of migration such as loss of talent and brain drain. Relatedly, while japa metaphorically means emigration, japa crisis alludes to the alarming wave of emigration among Nigerians, particularly the youth population. The japa crisis should ideally necessitate an assessment of the government’s commitment towards protecting the socio-economic rights of the citizens. Against this background, this chapter examines youth emigration/japa crisis vis-à-vis the protection of socio-economic rights in Nigeria. The failure of government to protect the socio-economic rights of the citizens was identified as a major push factor propelling the japa crisis. Significantly, the government must prioritize and implement citizen-oriented policies geared towards improving the socio-economic welfare of the citizens.