Nigerian billionaire businessman Keji Giwa has ignited widespread reactions on social media following his candid comments about the ongoing “Japa” migration wave during an appearance on the TalkwithRuth podcast.

 

Speaking during the interview, Giwa expressed frustration over the growing number of skilled Nigerians relocating abroad, revealing that several of his top-performing employees have left the country in search of better opportunities.

 

“A lot of my employees have Japa’d,” he said, explaining that many of the workers he personally trained to high professional standards eventually moved overseas, leaving talent gaps within his businesses.

 

When the podcast host suggested that some employees may have “used and abused” the opportunities he provided, Giwa disagreed. Instead, he acknowledged their value, describing them as some of the best hands he had ever employed.

 

“We have now trained all of them to the point that most of them have left the country. What do we have left now?” he asked rhetorically.

 

Giwa argued that stricter immigration policies in countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada have inadvertently helped Nigerian employers retain staff. According to him, without the tougher visa requirements, even more professionals would have relocated.

 

In a remark that stunned many listeners, the businessman said he prays for visa denials and deportations so skilled Nigerians can return home and contribute locally.

 

“I’m praying to God that they deport them. I’m praying to God that their visas are not extended… I need these brains back in Nigeria,” he declared.

 

Highlighting the scale of his business ventures, Giwa noted that he cannot manage them single-handedly. “My brain alone cannot sustain them,” he said, underscoring his reliance on skilled professionals.

 

He also shared an anecdote about secretly hoping a former employee’s UK visa application would be denied so he could re-engage her services in Nigeria.

 

However, when asked whether he would be able to match the salaries his former staff earn abroad, Giwa offered a controversial response: “The poor distribution of income puts me in a position where I can pay.”

 

His comments have since triggered intense debate online, with many Nigerians weighing in on the ethical, economic and social implications of the country’s ongoing brain drain crisis.