Figures cited by The Punch show that American firms invested over N3.23 billion in the 2024 fiscal year to secure H-1B specialty worker visas for 880 Nigerian professionals. This data, released on February 1st, 2026, underscores the high demand for Nigerian talent in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and engineering within the United States.
Reporting by BusinessDay indicates that this trend reflects a growing “brain gain” for the US but a “brain drain” for Nigeria’s domestic economy. The report mentions that many of these professionals are being recruited by top Silicon Valley firms and major medical centers. “The cost of these visas shows how much US employers value the skill sets coming out of Nigeria,” a migration expert was quoted as saying.
In an update published by The Sun, it was revealed that the Nigerian government is currently in diplomatic talks with Washington to ease visa restrictions and create a more formal framework for professional exchange. The paper quoted a Diaspora Affairs official who noted: “While we celebrate the success of our citizens abroad, our priority is to create an environment where these specialists feel incentivized to return and invest their skills at home.”
Echotitbits take: This story highlights the duality of the Nigerian diaspora. While the N3.23bn spent by US firms shows the global competitiveness of Nigerian talent, it also points to a massive gap in the local banking and tech sectors that struggle to retain top-tier specialists. Watch for new “Return-to-Nigeria” incentives in the 2026 mid-year economic review.
Source: The Punch — https://punchng.com/us-firms-spent-n3bn-on-permits-for-nigerian-workers-report/, February 1, 2026
Photo credit: The Punch
