Awards of Excellence: Nigerian Professional’s Global Recognition and the Urgent Call to Curb Brain Drain

By Salami Adeyinka

Nigeria has never lacked talent; what it has struggled with is retaining it. The story of Ikaehor Chiedu Ezewele, a finance and operations expert with a rich background in engineering and data-driven business systems, is both inspiring and instructive.

Ezewele’s career has been decorated with notable awards and prizes that underscore his exceptional talent. While pursuing his Master of Science in Finance at the University of New Haven, Connecticut, he was honored as the Most Outstanding Student in Finance (2017/2018). That same year, he won the $75,000 University of New Haven Equity Portfolio Management competition, an achievement that demonstrated his financial acumen and mastery of portfolio management strategies.

In 2020, Ezewele received the Alphabroder Innovation Award, recognizing his leadership in designing data-driven systems that increased warehouse material and location accuracy by 80% and significantly cut shrinkage cost. His ability to integrate SharePoint, Power Query, Power BI, and advanced Excel features into a dynamic inventory management system positioned him as a leader in operational transformation.

Nigeria loses thousands of skilled professionals each year to countries with stronger institutional frameworks. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), more than 1.3 million Nigerians emigrated legally between 2010 and 2022, with a significant portion comprising professionals in finance, health, and engineering. The estimated cost of this exodus in lost productivity and training investment runs into billions of naira annually.

Brain drain strips Nigeria not just of numbers but of innovators like Ezewele, whose systems-oriented solutions could be used to strengthen the nation’s financial and supply chain sectors.

To reverse this trend, Nigeria must invest in Research and Innovation by establishing centers of excellence with modern tools and technology. Secondly, by providing Competitive Compensation through benchmarking wages and conditions with global standards. The government also need to promote Public-Private Partnerships by incentivizing companies to support research projects and mentorship. And lastly, Diaspora Engagement. By creating frameworks for professionals abroad to contribute knowledge and mentor young Nigerians remotely.

As Ezewele’s accolades show, when Nigerian professionals are provided with opportunities and platforms, they rise to global prominence. Stemming the tide of brain drain is no longer optional—it is an economic imperative.