How African Brain Drain Can Be Turned Into Brain Gain

Brain drain is a trend that has continuously walled Africa’s development since the 1960s when a mass exodus of Africa’s skilled labor migrated in search of promising prosperity elements, equally known as greener pasture in the countries of the West. This phenomenon has and is still rubbing Africa its citizens, which could have contributed to the continent’s growth. 

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The factors responsible for this mass exodus of Africa’s professional is classified as push and pull factors.

The push factors include situations in African states that make Africans itch to migrate to the West’s developed countries. These push factors include; political repression, lack of infrastructure, devaluation of the currency, and poor living standards, to mention a few.

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On the other hand, the pull factors involve the quality of living standards in the developed countries of the West, which are otherwise far-fetched in African states.

Some scholars have debated that only the receiving countries of these skilled professionals benefit from the inflow of African professionals. Dispassionately, we can say that both the receiving countries and the home countries of these skilled individuals derive benefits, though unequal.

These past decades, Africa’s economy has mounted, thanks to the inflow of remittances from the diasporas. However, aside from these remittances, the diasporas have made seeming investments, particularly foreign direct investment, that has aided in facilitating business activities in various African countries.

However, this issue of brain drain that has plagued the African continent can be reversed to brain gain – but in what possible way can that be achieved?

This article looks into the possible ways African brain drain can be transformed into brain gain.

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Provision of incentives

One primary reason Africa’s professionals migrate is the poor economic factors that deny them the access to fend for themselves and their families.

However, this can be curbed when governments start establishing good policies and providing incentives to soothe the skilled labor force and wall them from longing to flee from the country. These incentives can come in the form of grants for research projects and tax breaks for individuals who newly established a business venture, among others.

When these policies are in place, they will help all graduates thrive economically, giving more broad opportunities to invest in the economy.

Putting them in laboratories and training programs

As aforementioned, the provision of incentives will not only hinder graduates and professionals from migrating to western countries. It will also lure diasporas back home as they already know the primal issue that warranted the flight from their home countries has ceased.

Now, as these diasporans return to their home countries, they are supposed to be placed in those vacant positions where their services as needed, like the laboratory.

When placed in positions like this, the diasporans will help to circulate the knowledge they acquired overseas.

You might also like to read – Why More African Diasporas Need To Invest In Their Home Countries

Creating traditional or online training platforms where the diasporans will nurture and teach the upcoming African professionals in different areas of specialization, leading to an increasingly knowledge-based economy.

Transferring technology to different institutions in African countries

This remains one of the best ways to convert brain drain to brain gain. It’s a known fact that diasporans have gained immense knowledge for using technology more than the nationals at home. Thus, by allowing full-time diaspora engagement, the already drilled knowledge of these diasporans can be bequeathed to other nationals at home, giving room to improve in different sectors.

For example, when the diasporans in the medical field transfer their knowledge on how to use a particular machine for treatment and equally send those machines to upcoming professionals at home, there will be a decrease in the death rate that plagues most African countries.

More so, research projects will augment when the diasporans share their technical skills with their counterparts, promoting the technical knowledge in the African continent as there will be more inventions of technologies, which we all know trends in this digital era.

Transmitting information that is in lack in Africa

The inventions of technology have facilitated in easy transfer of information.

How do we gain from it?

Basically, by cooperating with the diasporans! Certainly, most of these African diasporans have literally stayed overseas for decades, which means they have come across different information that they can dispose of in their home countries.

This information can be intel on the market conditions abroad, ways they could help facilitate bilateral trade, the policies government of their countries of residents make to slid in good standards of living, and policies that help to lapse insecurity, to mention a few.

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When ultimate cooperation surfaces between African governments and their diasporans, transmitting this information wouldn’t be daunting.

It is easier lately as there are several means people can communicate online and share their ideas and information without any location barrier.

Improving business contracts

Another possible way to turn brain drain into brain grain!

As there are diasporans that have spent a quarter of their lifetime in western countries, we can bet they have acquired the contacts of top investors that can infuse a series of investments in different African countries. And also help those in the business line gain contacts that can help them import foreign-made products in the country and, at the same time, export local goods to other countries.

Gaining these business contacts has helped many Nigerians communicate and engage in business transactions with the Chinese over the years. This led China to be Nigerians’ biggest partner over time.

Conclusion on How African Brain Drain Can Be Turned Into Brain Gain

No doubt, brain drain remains an untamable problem that draws Africa back from the ladder of development but judging the little benefits derived by African governments from their diasporans, we can conclude brain drain comes with some potential benefits.

But, this article helps us understand ways to make African brain drain a brain gain in the bid to incite even development in the continent.

Download the first chapter of The Storytelling Series: Beginners’ Guide for Small Businesses & Content Creators by Obehi Ewanfoh.