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Migration and Institution Building in Africa: Time to revisit the Lagos Plan of Action

Kenneth Kalu, School of Public Policy and Administration, Carleton University, Ottawa
kenkalu@yahoo.com

This paper draws from the institutional theory of economic development to explore the links between recent trends in the migration of highly skilled Africans to other continents and Africa’s ability to achieve sustainable economic growth and development. The paper argues that the loss of highly educated Africans to Western countries has compounded the difficulties of institution building in Africa. The difficulties in establishing effective and sustainable institutions in the continent render most contemporary development policies and programs ineffective, because development policies can only be effective when supported by well-functioning institutions. The implication is that no amount of financial remittances from African professionals based abroad or other benefits accruing to the continent from brain drain can compensate for the loss in institution building. For Africa to achieve meaningful economic and social development, there is an urgent need to revisit the recommendations of the Lagos Plan of Action as it relates to human resource capacity and institution building in the continent.