The Japada Trend: Why Many Nigerians Abroad Are Returning Home in Droves (And the Hard Truth Nobody Likes to Say)

At first, it sounded like a joke.

You know how Nigerians do—one person posts, “I’m moving back home,” and everybody starts laughing like it’s stand-up comedy. Somebody will type, “Village people don win.” Another person will reply, “Abeg, who send you?” Then the more spiritual ones will add, “God has called you back.”

But this time, the “joke” refused to end.

Because week after week, more people started saying the same thing—quietly, loudly, with chest, with shame, with relief:

“I’m Japada-ing.”

Japada—this Yoruba-flavoured word Nigerians now use to describe returning home after ‘japa’ (leaving Nigeria abroad)—has grown into a full-blown counter-movement that’s changing the diaspora conversation.

And if you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice something: this is not just about people “coming for December” anymore. Some are not returning for vibes. They’re returning to stay.

So what’s really happening?

Why are Nigerians abroad—people who once swore never to look back—now returning home in noticeable numbers?

Sit down. This gist has layers.

How We Got Here: From “Japa by All Means” to “Let Me Just Go Home”

For years, “japa” was the dream. The badge of success. The proof that you’ve escaped. People sold land, borrowed money, and drained savings just to get that visa. Nobody wanted to hear about Nigeria again. The plan was simple: leave, survive abroad, build something, and never come back except for owambe.

Then reality started doing what it does best.

It began small: a few posts about depression abroad, loneliness, racism, job struggle, immigration wahala. Then it grew into bigger conversations about cost of living, housing crisis, family pressure, identity confusion, and that silent heartbreak of living in a place where you’re always “the immigrant.”

By early 2025, even mainstream Nigerian media started reporting the reversal: Nigerians who left in search of greener pastures were returning home due to dashed expectations and mental health strain.

And by late 2025, BusinessDay framed it as a real trend: a shift from “japa” to “japada,” with returnees citing opportunities, influence, and the ability to do more back home than abroad.

In short: the fantasy crashed into bills.

Reason #1: The Cost of Living Abroad Has Become a “Rich Man’s Game”

Let’s start with the one everyone understands, even without explanation:

Money.

Many Nigerians abroad are tired.

Rent is eating salary. Childcare is swallowing peace. Taxes are hitting like slap. Groceries are doing “upgrade.” Transportation is another headache. And when you convert your income to naira, it may look sweet on paper—but day to day, many people are barely breathing.

Nigerian Tribune listed “high cost of living” as a major driver pushing returnees to pack up and go home.

And the funny part? Some Nigerians abroad are not even living the “soft life” people in Nigeria imagine. Some are working two jobs, still struggling, still paying bills that never end, still feeling like they’re running on a treadmill that doesn’t stop.

At some point, a person begins to ask a dangerous question:

“What exactly am I suffering for?”

Reason #2: The “Depression Abroad” Nobody Warned Us About

This is the part people don’t like to talk about, because Nigerians are trained to act strong.

But Punch reported that returnees often mention unmet expectations and depression as part of why they came back.

And it makes sense.

Abroad can be lonely in a way that is hard to explain to somebody who has never lived there. In Nigeria, even if you don’t have money, you have noise, community, neighbours, gist, random laughter, your mother calling you, somebody knocking your gate to “just check you.”

In some Western countries, you can live in a building for two years and never know your neighbour’s name.

You can be surrounded by people and still feel invisible.

You can be “safe” and still feel empty.

And when that loneliness meets constant pressure—work pressure, immigration pressure, financial pressure—some people quietly break.

That’s when “Japada” starts sounding like therapy.

Reason #3: Immigration Wahala and the Stress of Being “Temporary”

Let’s be honest: not everybody abroad is settled.

Some are on student visas. Some are on work permits. Some have asylum stories. Some are waiting for papers. Some are “almost there.” Some are one policy change away from problem.

Tribune also highlighted immigration and residency issues—expired visas, denied applications, legal uncertainty—as a key factor.

And when your life is built on uncertainty, you can’t relax. You can’t plan properly. You can’t invest confidently. Even your sleep has conditions.

So some people look at Nigeria—with all its stress—and still say:

“At least home is home. Nobody can deport me from my fatherland.”

Reason #4: Racism, Identity Fatigue, and the Silent “Othering”

Some Nigerians won’t admit it publicly, but privately, it weighs on them.

The constant reminder that you’re not fully accepted. The subtle discrimination. The job ceilings. The strange looks. The “Where are you really from?” that never ends.

Even when it’s not violent, it can be exhausting.

And over time, some people get tired of performing “acceptable immigrant” every day.

Japada becomes a return to being normal again—where you’re not explaining your accent, your name, your food, your culture, your existence.

Reason #5: The Business and Investment Angle Is Pulling People Back

Now here’s where it gets interesting.

Not everyone is returning because they “failed” abroad. Some are returning because they’ve outgrown the diaspora hustle and want bigger control.

BusinessDay pointed to returnees reinvesting skills, capital, and experience back home—some for entrepreneurship, some for influence, some for opportunities they can’t access abroad.

And in Nigeria, let’s be honest, there’s a certain advantage to being “the person that came from abroad.”

You might get taken more seriously.

You might access better networks.

You might attract clients faster.

You might spot market gaps quicker.

So for some people, Japada is not retreat. It’s strategy.

Reason #6: Remote Work Has Changed the Game

This is the quiet fuel behind the movement.

Before, if you left Nigeria, you had to stay abroad because that’s where the money was.

Now? Some Nigerians are earning in dollars or pounds and asking:

“Why am I paying foreign rent when I can live like a king at home?”

Even those who can’t keep full foreign salaries still look at Nigeria’s flexibility and think:

“I can build something. I can stretch my money. I can breathe.”

But Here’s the Twist: Japada Is Not Always Sweet

This is where the gist becomes real-life, not motivational speech.

New Lines Magazine noted something many returnees are discovering: coming back is not always welcomed or easy.

Some people return home and face:

• family expectations that can choke you

• “you’ve been abroad, you must be rich” pressure

• culture shock (yes, reverse culture shock is real)

• frustration with electricity, healthcare, roads, security

• friends who secretly resent you

• people who test you with entitlement

And some returnees also struggle because they come back with a “diaspora mindset” but Nigeria runs on Nigeria rules.

You might love order, but Nigeria loves improvisation.

You might love systems, but Nigeria loves connections.

So while Japada is trending, it’s not a fairy tale. It’s a hard adjustment.

What Everyone Must Learn From the Japada Wave

1) “Abroad” Is Not Automatically Better—It Depends on Your Reality

A passport does not guarantee peace.
A new country does not automatically heal trauma.
If your plan is “leave and everything will work,” you may be shocked.

2) Do Not Worship Other People’s Highlight Reels

Many Nigerians abroad post enjoyment, not struggle.
They’ll post vacation, not overtime.
They’ll post smiles, not loneliness.

So don’t use social media to measure your life.

3) Build Skills That Travel With You

Whether you japa or japada, your real power is what you can do:
skills, experience, networks, wisdom.
A visa can open a door, but skill keeps you in the room.

4) If You’re Returning, Come With a Plan (Not Just Emotion)

Returning home because you’re tired is understandable.
But returning home without structure can break you.

Think:

• income plan

• housing plan

• healthcare plan

• security plan

• business plan (if that’s your route)

Because Nigeria rewards preparation and punishes vibes.

What Is The Bible Saying…

As the Bible reminds us, Proverbs 22:3 says: “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.”

Sometimes, “refuge” is not just leaving Nigeria.
Sometimes, “refuge” is also leaving a life abroad that is slowly crushing you.

Wisdom is not always forward.
Sometimes, wisdom is returning—quietly—to rebuild.

Japada Is Not Weakness—It’s a Choice Nigerians Are Finally Owning

The Japada movement is not just about people returning home. It’s about Nigerians finally saying the quiet truth out loud:

There is no perfect country. There is only the country where your life makes sense.

For some, that’s abroad.
For others, that has become home again.

And if we’re being honest, this movement is forcing Nigerians to rethink what success really means—is it location, or is it peace, purpose, and progress?