Business mogul says mass migration has drained Nigeria’s talent pool, admits praying for visa denials and deportations to reclaim skilled workers.

Nigerian billionaire businessman Keji Giwa has ignited a fierce debate online following controversial remarks on the TalkwithRuth podcast, where he spoke bluntly about the impact of the “Japa” wave on his businesses.

Giwa lamented that many of his most skilled and trusted employees have relocated abroad, leaving critical gaps across his companies. According to him, years of investment in training have yielded little long-term benefit for local enterprises as top talent continues to exit the country.

“A lot of my employees have japa’d,” he said, stressing that some of the very best professionals he nurtured eventually left Nigeria. While the podcast host suggested the workers may have “used and abused” him, Giwa pushed back, acknowledging their value and competence.

“Those people that you employed that have now left were some of the best workers you ever had,” he said. “We trained them to a point where most of them are gone. What do we have left now?”

The billionaire argued that tougher immigration rules in countries like the UK and Canada have, ironically, helped Nigerian employers slow the talent drain. Without those restrictions, he believes the exodus would be even worse.

In his most provocative moment, Giwa openly admitted he prays for visa denials and deportations so skilled Nigerians can return home.

“I’m praying to God that they deport them. I’m praying to God that their visas are not extended — that the UK has its own version of ICE. I need these brains back in Nigeria,” he declared.

Emphasizing the scale of his business interests, Giwa said he cannot operate them alone and needs competent professionals to survive. He even revealed that he once privately prayed for a former employee’s UK visa to be denied so she could be rehired in Nigeria.

However, the conversation took another controversial turn when he was asked whether he could afford to pay returning professionals competitive wages. His response drew sharp criticism.

“The poor distribution of income puts me in a position where I can pay lower wages,” Giwa said.

The remarks have since triggered mixed reactions, with critics accusing him of endorsing exploitation, while supporters argue he was merely highlighting the harsh economic realities facing Nigerian businesses amid mass emigration.