Authors : Oye, Modupe Jokotola; Famakinde. A. A. J.; Adeniran, J. A.

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 12 - December

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mutvak5c

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25dec701

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Abstract : Background Many African and developing countries continue to witness it citizens leaving their homeland to developed countries like United Kingdom and the Americas all in the name of searching for greener pastures. Recently, this trend has been worrisome especially in the healthcare sector with a significant deficit in skilled health workforce. This study aims to investigate the predictors of migration intention and the strategies to mitigate such intention among Nigerian healthcare workers.  Methods A cross sectional survey design was employed in this facility based study. Quantitative data were collected among categories of healthcare workforce. Semi-structured validated questionnaire were administered on the eligible participants. Data were analyzed and the level of significance was set at P-value < 0.05.  Results Majority of the HCWs were females (72.2%) with the age range between 30 and 39 (36.4%), with a mean age of 37.2 ± 9.2 years. Majority of the respondents were Nurses with (54.0 %) which was closely followed by physicians (16.6%). Analysis of intention to practice outside Nigeria revealed more than two-third of the respondents (74.9%) while majority of the respondents (88.8%) have also taken several steps and efforts to actualize their intention. Opportunity to earn more money (78.1%) was the predominant nucleus of their intention. The result showed significant (p<0.05) relationship between migration intention and the healthcare workers marital status (X2= 18.8; p-value= 0.00*), educational level (X 2= 46.5; p- value= 0.00*) and profession (X2= 53.4; p-value= 0.00*). Result also indicated a significant (p<0.05) relationship between migration intention and the working conditions with their p-values = 0.00*).  Conclusion Emigration intention among Nigeria HCWs appears to be very high specifically among the nurses and other HCWs. Improved remuneration remains a key strategy to mitigate migration intention thereby reducing the huge deficit in the Nigerian’s health care work force.

Keywords : Emigration, Healthcare Workers, Brain Drain, Mitigation.

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