Nigeria's japa generation: Why youth are leaving in droves Nothing is Foreign

In Nigeria, the japa movement is growing. Japa is a Yoruba word that means to run away, or to flee, and it's become a shorthand way for young Nigerians to say they're leaving their home country to look for opportunities abroad.

According to a recent survey by the Africa Polling Institute, 69 per cent of Nigerians would relocate if given the chance — up from 40 per cent who felt that way in 2019.

This ongoing exodus of young people from the country is the backdrop of Nigeria's most recent election, which happened on Saturday. Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu has been declared president-elect, but the main opposition parties have called the election a "sham" and want a new vote.

This week, we dig into the reasons why so many young Nigerians are looking to leave their country, how that galvanized them in this election, and what their exodus could mean for Nigeria's future.

Featuring:

Cyril Aliemeke, 32, thinking about leaving Nigeria.
David Hundeyin, a Nigerian investigative journalist.

For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/nothing-is-foreign-transcripts-listen-1.6732059