Rethinking “Japa”: NGX Chairman Pushes Productivity Over Migration

In a strong appeal to young Nigerians, the Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, has advised against the growing “Japa” trend, arguing that seeking a better life abroad is often expensive and rarely delivers the expected results.

Speaking at the University of Abuja, Kwairanga stressed that Nigeria’s large youth population can only become an economic asset if their energy is channeled into local productivity.

He urged students to see themselves as builders of the nation’s future, not just beneficiaries of it.

Rather than fleeing the country, he proposed entrepreneurship as the real answer to unemployment.

Drawing lessons from Japan and Germany, he encouraged young people to create innovative solutions to local problems.

To succeed, he recommended a disciplined savings culture and well-structured business plans, even in the face of tough challenges like limited capital and unreliable electricity.

According to Bizwatch Nigeria, the chairman also warned against distractions like excessive social media use and fraudulent schemes, which often derail ambition.

The NGX Chairman noted: “The future we seek will not be imported. It will be built here, by you. Japa syndrome is not the solution.”

The bottom line: Dr. Kwairanga is championing a homegrown entrepreneurial revolution urging Nigeria’s youth to invest in local businesses and the capital market instead of migrating abroad.