A major scandal has rocked the Lagos State civil service after it was revealed that 30% of civil servants sent abroad for training have failed to return to Nigeria.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Afolabi Ayantayo, revealed this during a press briefing on Wednesday, to mark the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.

Speaking openly, Ayantayo said the government’s goal of building a better workforce through international training has been affected by the growing “Japa syndrome”—a slang term used to describe the increasing number of Nigerians leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.

“When asked how many staff returned home from such training,” Ayantayo said grimly, “while 70% returned, 30% failed to come back.”

He explained that the state is serious about training its workers, saying, “A total of 23,420 staff members benefitted from various training interventions between May 2022 and December 2024.

“Within the same period, over 185 training programmes were organised which cut across multiple cadres, skill levels and thematic areas relevant to public sector efficiency, leadership development and regulatory compliance.”

Despite this large investment, the fact that nearly a third of the trainees stayed back abroad has raised serious concerns about how the programme is monitored and how the state plans to retain its workers.

Ayantayo also said about 8,000 civil servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies have been granted study leave in the last three years to improve their qualifications and skills.

He highlighted some of the ministry’s achievements, including Governor Sanwo-Olu’s approval of a N35,000 wage increase for workers to reduce the effect of economic hardship.

In the health sector, Ayantayo said the state has paid the Medical Residency Training Fund, Rural Allowance for Primary Healthcare Workers, and also given bonuses and wage awards to staff of the Lagos State College of Medicine.

However, when asked about severance packages for political appointees whose terms have ended, the Commissioner “was, however, silent on the amount of severance allowance the state government paid to political office holders whose tenure have expired.”