The word Japa has become a mantra among Nigerian youth, echoing through conversations, social media, and family discussions. No longer just slang, the term has gained such prominence that it was recently included in the Oxford English Dictionary. It means to escape—to leave the country and seek a better life elsewhere, away from the struggles that have made daily survival in Nigeria feel like an unending battle. But behind the hopeful stories of those who make it abroad, there are tales of hardship, loss, and despair—stories of young Nigerians who give up everything for the promise of a better future, only to encounter obstacles they never imagined.
For many, the decision to leave is not one of excitement but desperation. Nigeria’s economy has long been unkind to its young population. Jobs are scarce, the cost of living is unbearable, and insecurity looms in every corner. A university degree no longer guarantees employment, and even those with jobs often find themselves underpaid and overworked. Frustration mounts as the government’s promises of reform remain empty words. The desire to leave has now transformed into a mass migration trend, with thousands of Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad in pursuit of better education, financial security, and an improved quality of life.
The statistics paint a clear picture of the Japa phenomenon. The UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency reports that approximately 128,777 Nigerian students were enrolled in British universities between 2015 and the end of 2022. This figure does not include Nigerians who moved to the UK for other reasons during the same period. Canada has also emerged as a key destination, with data from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada revealing that over 71,459 Nigerians acquired Canadian citizenship between 2005 and 2024. The United States, another preferred destination, has continued to attract Nigerian students. According to a report by The PUNCH in 2023, about 17,600 Nigerian students were admitted into various universities across 970 institutions in the U.S., as disclosed at the 23rd Annual College Fair held in Abuja on September 17, 2024.
Yet, the road to a new life is not always paved with gold. Some young Nigerians, unable to secure visas to Europe or North America, turn to more dangerous routes. They cross the Sahara Desert in the scorching heat, packed into trucks with little food or water. Some never make it past the desert, dying of thirst or being abandoned by traffickers who have taken their money. Others find themselves trapped in Libya, where they are beaten, detained, or sold into slavery. For those who finally reach the shores of the Mediterranean, the sea presents another deadly challenge. Overcrowded boats capsize, sending hundreds into the depths of the water. Bodies wash up on the shores of Italy and Tunisia, each one a painful reminder of dreams that never materialized.
Even those who make it legally to countries like the UK, Canada, or the United States face harsh realities. The illusion of an easy life abroad is quickly shattered. Many struggle to find jobs in their fields and are forced to take menial work—cleaning, caregiving, factory shifts—just to survive. The lucky ones get scholarships but still struggle with racism, isolation, and cultural shocks that make them long for home. Some fall into depression, realizing that life as a second-class citizen in a foreign land is not the paradise they imagined. Yet, going back home is often not an option. There is pressure to send money to family members who sacrificed so much for them to leave. The weight of expectations is crushing.
Back in Nigeria, families wait anxiously, hoping for good news from their loved ones abroad. Some receive joyful updates of new opportunities, but others are met with silence, unanswered calls, or messages from strangers informing them of tragic losses. Mothers cry for sons who vanished en route to Europe, fathers grieve for daughters who fell into the hands of traffickers, and communities mourn the loss of young talents that could have helped build the nation.
The Japa wave has drained Nigeria of some of its brightest minds. Doctors, engineers, IT specialists, and academics are leaving in droves, seeking systems that value their expertise. Yet, the solution does not lie in simply discouraging migration but in fixing the very problems that force people to leave. Nigeria must offer hope to its youth—through jobs, security, education, and a functioning economy. Until then, the stories of hardship, struggle, and loss will continue, as more young Nigerians risk everything for a future they believe they can only find far from home.