For about ten years, japa has been a decision Nigerians made about Nigeria, a judgement on salaries, hospitals, generators and insecurity. A new op-ed in Nairametrics, published on October 27, argues that the decision is now increasingly made by other countries, with their own politics about who gets in.

The three doors

The op-ed by Akinola Ezekiel Morakinyo lists how the main routes Nigerians use have tightened within about eighteen months:

United States. From January 1, 2026, the US partially suspended immigrant visas for Nigerians, restricted several visitor, student and exchange visa categories, and made permanent a visa bond of up to $20,000 for certain visitors. The author notes that by May, facing a shortage of physicians, the US had resumed processing for foreign-trained doctors.

United Kingdom. Britain raised the skills threshold for Skilled Worker visas in July 2025, removed more than 110 eligible occupations and closed overseas recruitment of new care workers. According to the piece, withdrawals of Nigerian student visas rose from 4.5% in the first half of 2025 to 22.7% in 2026. In June, the Home Office lowered the maximum visa refusal rate that sponsoring universities can have, and some universities withdrew offers as a result. A proposal to extend the standard route to settlement from five to ten years was still undecided in mid-2026.

Canada. Canada has tightened as well, with caps on study permits, fewer temporary residents and a pause on new parent and grandparent sponsorships. It remains more open than the other two, but it is less open than it was.

The author asks whether anyone will choose to return home if the reason they stay home is that the doors have closed.

The argument at home

The op-ed’s main point is about Nigeria. If young people stay because the doors are closed, not because opportunities improved, the country gains nothing in the long run. It also argues that japa is a household’s way of protecting itself against a weak naira, unreliable power and dangerous roads, not a lack of patriotism, and that remittances are the payoff. Its conclusion is that Nigeria now has to give its talent a reason to stay.

What this means if you are planning

1. Have more than one route. One application to one country is a risky plan now. Look into Canada’s provincial programs, Germany’s skilled routes and the US routes for doctors.

2. Check the sponsor as well as the course. If you are applying to study in the UK, ask the university about its visa compliance record before you pay a deposit.

3. Do not sell the land too early. Wait until the visa is in your passport before you sell family assets to pay for a plan.

Did a closed door change your japa plans? Tell us anonymously in Japa Confessions at stories@gathermedia.ca.