The Other Side of Japa: How Migration Dreams Turn Into Deception, Debt and Regret

The Other Side of Japa: How Migration Dreams Turn Into Deception, Debt and Regret

By Akin Alade

For decades, travelling abroad has represented hope for many Nigerians. From neighbouring African countries to Europe, Asia, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, thousands of Nigerians have looked beyond the country’s borders in search of better jobs, quality education, security, improved living standards and a brighter future for their families.

In recent years, that long-established migration culture acquired a popular name — “Japa.” The Yoruba expression, loosely associated with escaping or leaving quickly, has become part of Nigeria’s everyday vocabulary, particularly among young professionals, graduates and families considering relocation.

There is nothing inherently wrong with migration. People have moved across borders for centuries in search of opportunity, and many Nigerians who relocated legally have built successful careers, businesses and families abroad. They have also contributed significantly to Nigeria through remittances, investments, professional knowledge and support for relatives back home.

Indeed, the International Organisation for Migration has described migration in Nigeria as increasingly complex, driven by factors including economic aspirations, insecurity, environmental pressures and the desire for social mobility. Nigeria’s remittance inflows have also demonstrated the considerable economic contribution of Nigerians living overseas.

But there is another side of Japa that deserves greater attention.

Behind the photographs of new apartments, graduation ceremonies, foreign workplaces and smiling families posted on social media are stories that rarely attract the same publicity: visa rejection, unemployment, loneliness, immigration difficulties, exploitation, debt, homelessness and, in extreme cases, trafficking and dangerous irregular migration.

Migration Decisions Built on Perception

One of the biggest problems surrounding the Japa phenomenon is not migration itself, but migration without adequate information and preparation.

Some Nigerians make the decision after years of research, professional planning and financial preparation. They understand their visa conditions, employment prospects, accommodation costs, taxation and the realities of starting again in another society.

Others make life-changing decisions largely because of what they have heard, read or watched online.

A friend relocates and uploads photographs from London. A former colleague posts videos from Canada. A relative announces a new job in America. Another person displays a seemingly comfortable lifestyle somewhere in Europe.

What social media may not show is the rent, taxes, transportation expenses, multiple jobs, childcare costs, immigration restrictions or years of sacrifice behind those photographs.

This creates a dangerous impression that simply arriving abroad automatically produces prosperity.

The Guardian’s August 21, 2026 report on migration deception highlighted cases of Nigerians who allegedly lost millions of naira to supposed travel consultants and recruitment agents offering overseas visas and employment. One woman featured in the report reportedly raised ₦8.5 million by selling family property, disposing of jewellery and borrowing money for what she believed would be a Canadian work visa. More than a year later, according to the report, neither the promised visa nor her money had materialised.

Her experience illustrates a larger warning: Japa without verification can become a journey from hope to financial disaster.

When Desperation Creates Opportunities for Fraudsters

Migration fraud thrives where desperation meets inadequate information.

Fake travel agents and questionable recruiters understand that many prospective migrants desperately want to leave Nigeria. They exploit that desire with promises such as “guaranteed visa,” “100 per cent approval,” “job waiting for you,” or supposed special access to immigration officials.

Documents can look genuine. Websites may appear professional. Offices can be rented temporarily. Testimonials may be fabricated.

By the time victims discover the truth, an agent may have disappeared with money representing years of savings.

The Guardian report also described another Nigerian graduate who reportedly lost ₦4.7 million pursuing what she believed would be a Canadian visitor visa, while intending eventually to remain and work there.

That case points to another important issue: travelling under an immigration category that does not match one’s real purpose can create serious problems.

A visitor’s visa is not automatically a permanent-residence or employment permit. Likewise, admission into a foreign university does not necessarily guarantee permanent residency after graduation.

Every prospective migrant therefore needs to understand precisely what a particular visa permits and what it prohibits.

Selling Everything to Japa Can Be a Dangerous Gamble

Perhaps one of the most troubling aspects of the migration rush is the willingness of some families to liquidate virtually everything they own.

Land is sold.

Businesses are closed.

Cars are disposed of.

Savings are emptied.

Loans are taken.

Some people resign from secure employment before their visas or overseas opportunities are fully established.

When everything works according to plan, the gamble may eventually appear worthwhile. But when it fails, returning home becomes extremely difficult because the migrant has destroyed the economic foundation he or she previously had.

Research cited in The Guardian report suggests many Nigerian migrants finance their journeys from personal savings, family assistance, asset sales and borrowing, leaving some financially vulnerable when plans collapse.

Migration should therefore be treated as an investment decision requiring serious risk assessment, rather than an emotional escape plan.

Japa Has Success Stories Too

The debate should not become an argument that Nigerians should never migrate.

That would ignore reality.

Thousands of Nigerian doctors, nurses, engineers, academics, entrepreneurs, technology professionals and other skilled workers have established successful lives abroad. Many send money home, invest in property and businesses, sponsor relatives and contribute expertise to Nigeria.

The lesson is therefore not “don’t Japa.”

The lesson is “don’t Japa blindly.”

There is a major difference between planned migration and desperate migration.

A person with a legitimate employment contract, verified visa, realistic financial plan and understanding of the destination country’s laws is in a very different position from someone who hands millions of naira to an unverified middleman promising a “guaranteed” overseas job.

The Deadly Road Through the Desert

When legal migration plans fail, desperation sometimes pushes people toward irregular routes.

This is where the Japa dream can become genuinely dangerous.

Some migrants travel through Niger and across the Sahara towards Libya, hoping eventually to cross the Mediterranean into Europe. Along those routes, migrants can become vulnerable to smugglers, traffickers, armed groups and other criminal networks.

The International Organisation for Migration continues to work with Nigerian authorities on counter-trafficking, assisted voluntary return and reintegration, border governance and measures aimed at reducing irregular migration.

In June 2026, 182 Nigerian irregular migrants were assisted to return from Libya under an IOM-supported voluntary return programme, according to information published by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

That alone should remind prospective migrants that not everybody who leaves Nigeria eventually arrives at the destination imagined at the beginning of the journey.

Life Abroad Is Not Automatically Easy

Another misconception surrounding Japa is that earning pounds, dollars or euros automatically means becoming wealthy.

Income cannot be considered without expenditure.

Someone earning what appears to be a huge amount when converted into naira may simultaneously be paying foreign-market prices for accommodation, transportation, food, utilities, insurance, childcare and taxes.

A migrant who previously occupied a senior professional position in Nigeria may initially have to accept less desirable employment while obtaining local certification or experience.

There can also be emotional costs.

Starting again in an unfamiliar environment without established family and social networks can be difficult. Climate, cultural differences, discrimination, loneliness and separation from children, spouses or elderly parents can compound the pressure.

None of these realities makes migration a bad decision.

They simply demonstrate why migration should be based on facts rather than fantasy.

Governments Must Also Address Why Nigerians Want to Leave

It would be unfair, however, to place the entire responsibility on prospective migrants.

Nigeria must confront the conditions encouraging large numbers of skilled and ambitious citizens to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Job creation, security, reliable electricity, quality healthcare, functional education, economic stability and an environment where businesses can prosper remain crucial.

When citizens believe their talents can produce meaningful rewards at home, migration becomes a genuine choice rather than something perceived as an emergency exit.

At the same time, government agencies must intensify public education about migration fraud and strengthen action against fraudulent recruiters and human traffickers.

Nigeria and the United Kingdom, for example, announced a migration cooperation framework in March 2026 aimed partly at encouraging regulated and safe migration while combating irregular migration and associated abuses.

Verify Before You Pay

For anyone considering migration, several questions should come before payment:

Is the agent or recruiter properly registered? Is the job genuine? Can the employer be independently contacted? Does the visa category permit the proposed activity? Can the information be confirmed directly from the destination country’s official immigration authority? What happens if the visa application fails? Is selling property or borrowing heavily really necessary?

Most importantly, prospective migrants should be suspicious of anybody claiming that visa approval is absolutely guaranteed.

Immigration decisions ultimately belong to the relevant authorities, not social-media influencers or self-proclaimed travel experts.

Japa Is Not a Guarantee of Prosperity

Migration has changed millions of Nigerian lives positively, and it will continue to be an important part of the country’s economic and social story.

But crossing Nigeria’s border does not automatically solve life’s problems.

For some, migration brings opportunity.

For others, it brings a difficult but ultimately rewarding beginning.

For another group, unfortunately, the journey ends in financial loss, exploitation or disappointment.

The difference is often found in information, preparation, legality, skills, financial capacity and realistic expectations.

The most important conversation about Japa therefore should no longer be simply, “How can I leave Nigeria?”

It should be:

“Where am I going, why am I going, what legal pathway am I using, what opportunities genuinely exist there, and am I financially and professionally prepared for the reality that awaits me?”

Migration can open doors, but desperation can also open the door to deception.

For Nigerians contemplating Japa, the message is simple: research before resigning, verify before paying, understand before borrowing and plan before selling everything you have built.