President Bola Tinubu has officially signed into law the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration, a landmark legislation aimed at curbing the mass emigration of healthcare professionals from Nigeria.

This policy, which has been a subject of significant debate, among other things, legally binds healthcare personnel to remain and work in Nigeria after completing their education, a response to the growing brain drain that has severely impacted the country’s health sector.

The new law is seen as a crucial step towards addressing the critical challenges facing Nigeria’s health and human resources. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, described the policy as a transformative measure designed to overhaul healthcare human resource management in Nigeria.

“This policy is more than just a response to the ongoing exodus of healthcare professionals; it’s a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health worker migration. It envisions a thriving workforce that is well-supported, adequately rewarded, and optimally utilized to meet the healthcare needs of all Nigerians,” Pate stated.

Pate further elaborated on the policy’s ambitious goals, emphasizing the importance of the Nigeria Human Health Resource Program. This program sets a framework for regular reviews of working conditions, ensuring that health workers, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, receive the recognition and rewards they deserve.

He said by fostering a conducive environment for professional growth and stability, the policy aims to retain top talent within Nigeria’s borders.

The policy also places a strong emphasis on integrating advanced health technologies to enhance the efficiency and equity of healthcare delivery across Nigeria. This includes the implementation of digital health infrastructure such as Electronic Medical Records (EMR), telehealth services, and a comprehensive Health Workforce Registry.

According to Pate, these innovations are crucial for streamlining healthcare delivery and ensuring the equitable distribution of health workers.

“Capacity building is at the heart of this policy,” Pate continued. “It recognizes the importance of continuous professional development, with strategic partnerships and opportunities for international training to equip our healthcare professionals with cutting-edge skills. This investment in human capital underscores our commitment to retaining and empowering our healthcare workforce.”

Reversing the Brain Drain

One of the most critical aspects of the policy is its approach to reversing the brain drain by facilitating the return and reintegration of Nigerian health professionals from the diaspora. The policy establishes streamlined registration processes and offers attractive incentives to encourage these professionals to return home and contribute to the Nigerian health system.

Pate noted that this approach leverages the expertise of diaspora professionals to fill gaps within the sector.

Additionally, the policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria. These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of Nigerian healthcare professionals.

“We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match—training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive,” the Minister said.

The move to curb the exodus of Nigerian professionals has been controversial. In 2023, the House of Representatives debated an amendment to the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, which sought to mandate that Nigerian-trained medical professionals work in the country for five years before being granted full licenses.

This proposal, which passed its second reading with intense debate, highlighted the deep divisions on how best to address the healthcare crisis.

Proponents argued that such measures were necessary to ensure that Nigeria retains its trained professionals and improves the availability of quality healthcare within the country. Opponents, however, contended that the focus should be on addressing the root causes of the brain drain, such as poor working conditions and inadequate pay, rather than restricting the rights of medical professionals.

Nigeria’s healthcare system currently faces a severe shortage of medical professionals. It is estimated that Nigeria has only one doctor for every 10,000 patients, a far cry from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of one doctor for every 600 people. Pate revealed in March that about 16,000 doctors have left the country in the past five years, leaving only 55,000 licensed doctors to serve a population of over 200 million.

However, the minister said with the signing of the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration into law, President Tinubu’s administration has taken a decisive step towards securing the future of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

While the policy aims to address the immediate challenges posed by the mass emigration of healthcare professionals, its success will ultimately depend on its implementation and the broader efforts to improve working conditions and professional opportunities for Nigerian healthcare workers.

Besides catalyzing the transformation of the Nigerian health sector, and ensuring access to quality healthcare for all Nigerians, Pate said of the new policy: “Recognizing the importance of work-life balance, the policy includes provisions for routine health checks, mental well-being support, and reasonable working hours, especially for younger doctors. These measures aim to create a supportive work environment, reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction.”

Let me commend the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for re-introducing the publication of key economic reports. When the apex bank abandoned this tradition in 2016, I was against it. You do not balance your bank account by asking for a thinner chequebook.

So, there was just no reason why the CBN stopped those publications. Why? If you do not have the data, everything becomes a guesswork. But with data, you will even know what is working and not working. I commend the central bank for restoring this tradition.

As a junior banker in Lagos, I relied on CBN working papers during my  doctoral program in banking and finance. We were at the nascent phase of the Internet, but CBN was kind enough to push reports on its website.

Now to the professors, analysts, citizens, etc, this is the moment we have been asking for: with the veil lifted, we can get insights on how the apex bank is thinking over things, and possibly, we can constructively offer suggestions. Study those reports, and test CBN policies on welfare gains and losses,  assessing how projections turn out at the end of the policy implementations.

CBN: there are many economics professors in our universities: task them to assist. In other words, do not make it wholly internal where only CBN workers will churn out the publications. We want a balanced viewpoint, devoid of any political agenda, and supported by data.

Cisco confirmed it is planning to cut thousands of jobs, totaling 7% of its global workforce, after reporting declining revenue for the third quarter in a row. The company’s results were better than expected, however, and shares jumped on the news. Cisco already cut 5% of its workforce earlier this year as part of a restructuring. It had about 85,000 employees at the end of 2023, before the layoffs began. The router maker has struggled with weak demand and supply chain issues but lately tried to diversify, acquiring cybersecurity firm Splunk in a $28 billion buyout. – LinkedIn News

Things happen and this world transforms. Many years ago, Cisco was at its peak. Yes, a CV with CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) was a blessed one, because suitors of employers would come along. Move it higher in the certification hierarchy, you may be going to America, from any city in Africa. In banking, three of my colleagues left within  weeks (Aha…, Uwa…, Gbe…), and they left in big ways: American recruiters sent them visas via FEDEX! 

But that Cisco has faded. Yes, software ate Cisco. Buying networking equipment is the old-stuff business model. You can only earn new revenue on existing deals when the customer returns to replace the equipment. Today, Wall Street likes recurring revenue where provided the customer is using that product, you would be earning money via subscriptions or licensing in perpetuity.

That perpetuity revenue was not the business model which Cisco ran on. It was like the Nokia feature phone where you pay and own, unlike the Apple iPhone where besides the hardware, Apple will still make money via the App Store apps. That is why Cisco is bleeding: “Cisco has announced plans to slash thousands of jobs as part of its strategic shift towards AI and cybersecurity. The move comes as the tech giant refocuses its efforts on emerging technologies, aligning its workforce with its new priorities. The proposed second round of layoff is coming after the company in February this year, laid off 5% of its global workforce.”

But it does seem like Cisco is modulating: “Notably, Cisco has also been working to establish itself as an Al networking vendor…the company announced a series of hardware and software platforms developed in collaboration with Nvidia designed to peddle its Ethernet kit to enterprises deploying GPU clusters …” Possibly, upon that business model, it can make money via how modern enterprise tech companies make money: perpetual licensing where you keep sending them money in seasons and out of seasons.

Re-invent that business model – and thrive.