EMPLOYEE RETENTION IN NIGERIA’S “JAPA” ERA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66811/98z41744Keywords:
Employee retention, Japa phenomenon, workforce migration, human resource practices, NigeriaAbstract
This study, investigated employee retention in Nigeria’s current “Japa” era through an exploration of how organizations make sense of the phenomenon, the evolving strategies they use to adapt; and how prevailing operationalization on employee retention implications derive from these. Using a qualitative research design, data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with thirty human resource practitioners and organizational leaders from various sectors. Data were analysed with an inductive thematic analysis of the participant’s experiences using Nvivo software, directly enabling themes to emerge.
According to the findings, the “Japa” phenomenon is widely regarded as a systemic and inevitable situation that is being fueled by macroeconomic turbulence, international labour demand and socio-political realities. Such changes have caused a change in employee perception of the same, with reduced long-term organizational commitment and a growing inclination towards global mobility. As a result, organizations are leveraging flexible and tailored retention strategies to help guide talent through personalized work offers, career advancement opportunities, and flexibility in the workplace. But simply tabling up the money to compensate employees for office work did not prove effective. The research also shows that retention is becoming a more temporary and fluid outcome, with organizations concentrating on postponing not halting exit.
The authors find the limitations of traditional retention models insufficient to explain employee behaviour in this context, and argue for a reconceptualization of retention as a dynamic process influenced by external forces. The theoretical contribution of the findings lies in contextualized human resource insights that inform adaptive human resource strategies in emerging economies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dagwai Zemyen Clementina, Rufus Nsine Mfon, Wazhi Mantim, Yang Elizabeth, Khelpai Suwaiga, Agyawal Fatty Bitrus, Ukos Samaila (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
