The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on July 13, 2025, will be remembered not just for its political and economic struggles but also for presiding over one of the most significant brain drains in Nigeria’s educational history. The period between 2015 and 2023 witnessed an unprecedented wave of student migration, now widely referred to as the Education Japa Syndrome. For millions of Nigerian youths and their families, studying abroad became the ultimate escape from the country’s deteriorating education sector.
Although Nigerians have historically pursued education abroad, the surge during the Buhari years was extraordinary. UNESCO data from 2020 revealed that 71,753 Nigerians were studying in foreign tertiary institutions at that time. However, by the end of Buhari’s administration, that figure had soared to nearly 100,000 Nigerian students abroad, marking one of the sharpest increases in student migration since Nigeria’s independence. This mass academic exodus highlighted the lack of trust in the local education system and the search for stable, quality learning environments overseas.
One of the main catalysts for this migration was the incessant disruption of academic calendars in Nigerian universities. Public universities were shut repeatedly, causing students to lose precious academic years. Parents who could afford it chose to send their children abroad, while others took on significant financial burdens to avoid exposing their children to Nigeria’s unstable education system.
The United Kingdom emerged as the top destination during the Buhari administration’s tenure. In 2019, the UK issued 17,973 student visas to Nigerians. However, by 2022, that number skyrocketed to 65,929 visas, according to the UK Home Office. This dramatic increase represented a 266 per cent growth in just three years, fueled by favorable post-study work visa policies and aggressive recruitment by British universities targeting Nigerian students.
The United States also saw a sharp rise in Nigerian student enrollment during this period. According to the Institute of International Education, 14,438 Nigerian students were studying in the US for the 2021/2022 academic session. Many of them pursued science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, healthcare degrees, and business management, fields critical to Nigeria’s development but increasingly under-resourced at home.
Canada followed closely, with 13,745 Nigerian students enrolled in its universities and colleges by 2022. Canada’s combination of quality education, migration-friendly policies, and post-graduation work opportunities made it particularly appealing. Unlike in previous decades, when elite families dominated international education, the Buhari era saw a broader middle-class participation in the Japa wave, often through scholarships, student loans, and support from diaspora relatives.
In 2016, Nigerian students’ total outbound mobility in tertiary education stood at 96,735, but the number dropped temporarily between 2017 and 2020 due to global COVID-19 restrictions. By the time these restrictions eased, the surge resumed, with students leaving in droves to escape the compounded crises in Nigeria’s education sector. By 2022 and 2023, the numbers were back up, exceeding pre-pandemic levels and surpassing historical averages.
A significant factor behind this educational migration was the perceived failure of the Buhari administration to prioritize education funding. Budgetary allocations to education consistently fell below the UNESCO-recommended 15–20 per cent. From 2016 to 2023, the allocations ranged between 4.95 per cent and 7.93 per cent of the national budget, signaling chronic underinvestment in higher education. Classrooms deteriorated, libraries became obsolete, and public universities struggled with outdated curricula and lack of research funding.
Security concerns also contributed to the exodus. In the Buhari years, kidnapping of students and attacks on schools became alarmingly frequent, especially in the North. Incidents like the abductions in Kankara, Bethel Baptist School, and Greenfield University sent shockwaves through the nation. For many families, sending children abroad was not just about education—it was about safety and survival.
The economic reality of the Buhari era made the situation even more complex. The naira’s depreciation against the dollar and pound made studying abroad more expensive, yet families still prioritized it due to the long-term benefits of foreign degrees and global career opportunities. The collapse of Nigeria’s job market further justified this choice, as graduates from local universities struggled to find employment while those with foreign credentials found better prospects, both locally and internationally.
Analysts warn that the Education Japa Syndrome under Buhari has long-term consequences. Nigeria now faces a depleted talent pool in sectors critical to development. Healthcare, academia, technology, and engineering are all suffering from the loss of youthful, educated professionals. The migration of students often leads to permanent relocation, worsening the country’s brain drain.
In retrospect, the Buhari administration’s failure to stabilize and invest in the education sector directly fueled the largest academic exodus in Nigeria’s modern history. As the nation reflects on his legacy following his death, the Education Japa Syndrome remains a glaring symbol of missed opportunities and systemic neglect. Unless urgent reforms are made, this trend may persist, leaving Nigeria’s education system and workforce increasingly hollowed out.
