Politics and Economics of Emigration: An Assessment of the Impacts of Economic Reforms of Tinubu Administration

ABSTRACT: This paper looked at the issues in the politics and economics of emigration in Nigeria, with a focus on the impacts of the economic reforms instituted under the Tinubu administration on emigration. The reform policies such as removal of fuel subsidies, exchange rate liberalisation, and monetary tightening, and other policies have impacted migration pattern, especially among skilled professionals and the youth. Using a qualitative research approach and secondary data from government publications, academic journals, and reports from international organisations like the World Bank and International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the paper attempted the chronicles of emigration since the inception of Tinubu administration. The theoretical framework adopted for analysing the interaction between economic reforms (push factors) and opportunities overseas (pull factors) was the Push-Pull Theory. The paper showed that although the Tinubu administration's policies were intended to stabilise the economy and draw in foreign investment, they caused serious short-term disruptions. The elimination of gasoline subsidies led to a significant rise in living expenses. At the same time, the liberalisation of exchange rates caused the naira to weaken, increasing the cost of imports and decreasing purchasing power. Although the reforms were required for long-term economic stability, the immediate effects increased the pressures on emigration. To overcome these obstacles, it was suggested that economic policy changes to lessen push factors like unemployment and inflation as well as tactics to keep competent workers, such as increasing pay and career prospects. This paper underlined the necessity of improving migration governance and using the Nigerian diaspora to further national development through investments, knowledge sharing, and remittances. Nigeria could turn the difficulties of emigration into chances for long-term growth and development by taking a comprehensive approach KEYWORDS: Economic Reforms, Emigration, Development, Politics, Push-Pull Theory