Abstract

Nigeria suffers from large outflows of labour due to low wages, unstable economic conditions, political conflicts and government insensitivity. The consequent brain drain is more acute in the universities as they lose hundreds of academics to political appointments and better paying jobs within and outside the country. Without the intelligentsia, innovation, technological change and training of manpower, service delivery would be severely handicapped. This article, therefore, examines brain drain and its effect on the Nigerian universities. The article hypothesises that brain drain from the universities is largely responsible for the failure to meet benchmarks, which leads to deficient human resource development. It argues that the students within the country’s universities suffer from low levels of knowledge because benchmarks (minimum standards) are not met. The overall effect is poor manpower development manifested in the graduation of substandard degree holders and functional illiterates in an already weak economy. The main cause of brain drain is poor working conditions. Therefore, it is recommended, among others, that the Government should provide adequate remuneration and incentives so as to accord due recognition to the teaching and research staff in higher education in the country.