EPLF Fellows Engage in a Green Circle Conversation on the dilemma of staying to fix Nigeria or fleeing from Nigeria completely
Young Nigerians are increasingly confronted with a difficult question: should they stay and contribute to building Nigeria, or seek better opportunities elsewhere?
While migration remains a personal decision shaped by individual circumstances, the conditions that influence whether young people stay or leave deserve serious attention.
On 10 October 2026, Cohort 5 of the Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship (EPLF) hosted the second edition of its Green Circle Conversation on X (formerly Twitter), themed “Fix Nigeria or Flee Nigeria? What Must Change for Young Nigerians to Stay?” The virtual conversation brought together four panellists: Mosimiloluwa Koye-Ladele, Muhammad Tijjani, Ikechukwu Solomon Obiora and Arinze Onyeka, with Boluwatife Opemikun Ajiboye serving as moderator.
The session provided an opportunity for young people to examine the realities behind migration decisions, explore the challenges confronting Nigeria and consider the collective responsibility required to create a country where young Nigerians can build meaningful futures.
Understanding Why Young Nigerians Want to Leave
A central focus of the conversation was understanding the factors influencing young Nigerians’ decisions to migrate. The discussion highlighted that these decisions are rarely driven by a single concern but are often shaped by interconnected economic, social and governance challenges.
Among the issues examined were unemployment, inadequate wages, rising inflation, the high cost of living, insecurity, limited access to quality education, inadequate infrastructure and restricted opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The panellists also explored the importance of access to capital, particularly for young entrepreneurs seeking to establish and grow businesses in an environment where financial support and enabling structures remain essential.
The conversation emphasised that migration should not automatically be viewed as an act of disloyalty or a lack of patriotism. Rather, it is often a personal decision influenced by the opportunities available to individuals and their ability to secure a better quality of life.
Beyond Patriotism: Creating Reasons to Stay
One of the important reflections from the conversation was that encouraging young Nigerians to remain in the country must go beyond emotional appeals to patriotism. There must be practical reasons for them to stay.
For many young people, the decision to remain in Nigeria becomes more difficult when decent employment, fair compensation, affordable housing, reliable transportation, security and opportunities for advancement appear out of reach.
Economic growth must therefore translate into tangible improvements in people’s everyday lives. It is not enough to report economic progress if citizens cannot experience its benefits through better livelihoods, improved purchasing power and access to opportunities.
Creating an environment where young Nigerians can thrive requires deliberate investments in human capital, entrepreneurship, infrastructure and institutions that support productivity and innovation.
Whose Responsibility Is It to Fix Nigeria?
The discussion also examined the shared responsibilities of government, the private sector, communities and young people in shaping Nigeria’s future.
Government has a responsibility to establish effective policies, strengthen public institutions, promote security, provide essential infrastructure and create an enabling environment for economic opportunities.
The private sector also has a significant role to play through job creation, investment, innovation, fair employment practices and support for entrepreneurship.
For young Nigerians, participation in national development must extend beyond identifying societal problems. They must also be willing to contribute to their communities, engage in constructive dialogue, support meaningful initiatives and hold public institutions accountable.
A particularly important point raised during the conversation was the need to expand youth participation in governance. Young people should not be considered relevant only during election campaigns. Their voices, perspectives and experiences must be reflected in policy discussions, public decision-making and the processes that shape the country’s future.
Moving from Conversations to Practical Solutions
Beyond identifying the challenges, the conversation reinforced the need for realistic and measurable solutions.
Some of the priorities highlighted included strengthening access to decent employment and skills development, improving financial support for young entrepreneurs, promoting institutional accountability, addressing insecurity and investing in reliable infrastructure.
Equally important is the need to establish practical channels through which young people can participate in governance and influence decisions that affect their lives.
Discussions about Nigeria’s economic and social conditions must also be informed by credible data to ensure that proposed solutions respond to actual realities rather than assumptions.
These priorities demonstrate that building a country where young people want to stay requires coordinated efforts, sustained commitment and accountability from all stakeholders.
Building a Nigeria Worth Staying For
Ultimately, the question is not simply whether young Nigerians should fix Nigeria or flee Nigeria. It is about creating the conditions that make staying a realistic, rewarding and attractive choice.
A country worth staying for is one where young people can access decent jobs, establish sustainable businesses, receive quality education, live securely and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their future.
Achieving this requires accountable leadership, strong institutions, an enabling business environment, investment in people and active citizenship.
Through the Green Circle Conversation, Cohort 5 of the Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship continues to create platforms for young people to engage with critical national issues, exchange perspectives and explore practical approaches to leadership, governance and civic responsibility.
The conversation serves as a reminder that building a better Nigeria is a shared responsibility. While government and institutions must provide the structures that enable progress, young Nigerians must also remain active participants in shaping the society they want to live in.
The goal should not be to persuade young Nigerians to stay at all costs, but to build a Nigeria where they have compelling reasons to stay, grow and thrive.
