Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, has argued that some Nigerians earning modest incomes at home may be financially better off than compatriots who relocated abroad in search of better opportunities.
Speaking during an appearance on The Morayo Show, Bwala said many Nigerians who left the country under the popular "Japa" migration trend are facing difficult economic realities despite possessing university degrees and professional qualifications.
According to him, many Nigerians living in the United Kingdom are employed in jobs that do not match their educational backgrounds, describing the situation as a form of modern-day exploitation.
"Some of you in Nigeria who think you are suffering, you're better off than your colleagues that japa five years ago," Bwala said.
He claimed that numerous Nigerian graduates abroad now work in care homes, warehouses and other low-skilled occupations while struggling with the high cost of living.
"As far as I am concerned, it is modern-day slavery," he said.
Bwala explained that although many workers abroad earn between £2,600 and £2,800 per month, a significant portion of their income is consumed by rent, transportation, utility bills, internet subscriptions and feeding expenses.
According to him, after meeting these financial obligations, many are left with little disposable income, forcing some to take on multiple jobs to make ends meet.
"At the end of the day, what you are left with is not much. So you are forced to do two or three jobs," he stated.
The presidential aide further argued that a Nigerian earning ₦60,000 monthly could, in some cases, enjoy a stronger social support system than someone living abroad.
He noted that individuals in Nigeria often receive assistance from family members and friends during difficult periods, while many migrants have limited support networks in their host countries.
"That ₦60,000 earner can still get support from family and friends, while many abroad have nobody to fall back on," he added.
During the interview, Bwala also defended the social intervention policies of the Bola Tinubu administration, particularly in the healthcare sector.
He cited the Federal Government's 50 percent subsidy on dialysis treatments in federal hospitals and the policy providing free cesarean section services in public health facilities as examples of efforts to reduce the financial burden on Nigerians.
According to him, the administration plans to expand healthcare interventions to cover additional medical services and prescription drugs as government revenue and available resources improve.
Bwala maintained that while many Nigerians continue to face economic challenges, the government's reforms and social welfare initiatives are designed to improve living conditions and strengthen access to essential healthcare services.
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