Japa: 30% Lagos Workers Sent On Training Abroad Abscond

The Lagos State government has revealed that 30 per cent of its civil servants sent abroad for training have failed to return to Nigeria.

Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Afolabi Ayantayo, disclosed this during a press briefing on Wednesday in Lagos to mark the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.

Ayantayo, who was responding to questions from journalists, said the State government’s goal of building a better workforce through international training has been affected by the growing ‘Japa syndrome’—a slang term used to describe the increasing number of Nigerians leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.

“While 70% returned, 30% failed to come back,” Ayantayo revealed.

According to him, “A total of 23,420 staff members benefitted from various training interventions between May 2022 and December 2024. Within the same period, over 185 training programmes were organised which cut across multiple cadres, skill levels and thematic areas relevant to public sector efficiency, leadership development and regulatory compliance.”

Despite this large investment, the fact that nearly a third of the trainees stayed back abroad has raised serious concerns about how the programme was being monitored and how the State plans to retain its workers.

The Commissioner also said about 8,000 civil servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies have been granted study leave in the last three years to improve their qualifications and skills.

He highlighted some of the ministry’s achievements, including Governor Sanwo-Olu’s approval of a N35,000 wage increase for workers to reduce the effect of economic hardship.

Harping on the health sector, Ayantayo added that the State government has paid the Medical Residency Training Fund, Rural Allowance for Primary Healthcare Workers, even as bonuses and wage awards were given to staff of the Lagos State College of Medicine.