Mentoring Key to Stem Nigeria’s Brain Drain — Ogunsola

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… As young doctors gain leadership, financial, career skills beyond medical school

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By Sola Ogundipe

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Mentorship could become one of Nigeria’s most effective tools for retaining young doctors, even as the country continues to lose medical professionals to opportunities abroad, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, has said.

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Speaking at the close of the fourth cohort of the Dr. Abayomi Ajayi Mentoring Programme, Ogunsola said many young doctors are surrounded by negative narratives that leave them believing success is only possible outside Nigeria.

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“Nigeria has so much going for it. Young doctors shouldn’t leave simply because all they hear is bad news. This is a country of opportunities, and we need to show them they don’t have to go abroad to succeed,” she said.

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Ogunsola, one of the programme’s mentors, argued that fulfilment goes beyond financial success.

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“People often confuse making money with feeling fulfilled. Real fulfilment comes from knowing you matter, that you’re adding value and making a difference.”

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She described mentorship as a bridge for young professionals uncertain about their career direction, saying mentors provide guidance, networks, opportunities and lifelong professional relationships.

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On the Japa phenomenon, she said the programme does not discourage doctors from seeking international exposure but urges them to do so strategically.

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“If you go, let it be to build expertise. Have a plan to come back.”

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Making smarter career choices

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Founder of the programme and Medical Director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said the initiative is fulfilling its purpose by exposing young doctors to opportunities they rarely encounter in medical school.

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The programme brings together accomplished professionals from medicine, academia, pharmaceuticals and other sectors to mentor young doctors in leadership, career planning and financial literacy.

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Ajayi dismissed suggestions that the initiative was created to discourage migration.

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“We don’t tell them, ‘Don’t go.’ We encourage them to make informed decisions. If they leave, they should go to acquire knowledge, skills and experience, then return to help strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.”

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He said participants are given a balanced understanding of opportunities at home and abroad so they can make informed career decisions rather than emotional ones.

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Beyond clinical practice

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A mentor, orthopaedic surgeon and healthcare management expert, Dr. Kunle Onakoya, CEO of QHS Consultant Ltd, said the programme was created because medical school produces competent doctors but does not always prepare them for leadership and the wider demands of professional life.

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According to him, many graduates lack exposure to governance, financial management, ethics and practical decision-making.

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“Medicine teaches doctors how to diagnose and treat patients, but there are many practical skills they need throughout their careers. Rather than waiting for medical curricula to change, the foundation decided to provide those skills directly.”

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He said the goal is to produce well-rounded professionals capable of leading hospitals, managing healthcare organisations and responding to the growing complexity of healthcare.

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“Going abroad should be a strategic decision, not an emotional one,” he added.

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Financial literacy matters

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One of the programme’s non-medical mentors, Rashida Adebisi, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Zenvolve Technologies and former Country Director/ Chief Client Officer at AXA Mansard, said financial literacy gives doctors an advantage that medical school rarely provides.

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“Medical school teaches doctors how to save lives. It rarely teaches them how to manage money,” she said.

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Adebisi noted that the programme has evolved from doctors mentoring doctors into a multidisciplinary platform that prepares young healthcare professionals for life and work.

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“Medicine is also a business. Running a practice requires financial management, leadership and sound decision-making.”

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She said discussions with mentees covered career opportunities, financial planning and personal development, while a financial literacy session revealed that none of the participants had received formal financial education during medical school.

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“Earning money is only one part of financial success. Doctors also need to know how to budget, invest, protect their income and plan for retirement.”

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Building careers, not just doctors

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Programme Coordinator, Ibiyemi Faturoti, said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between medical education and professional practice.

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“Medical school equips doctors with clinical knowledge, but there are many other skills they need to succeed professionally. Our role is to expose them to those skills and help them discover the different career paths available to them.”

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She said the programme’s multidisciplinary mentoring model, which now includes professionals from finance, law, engineering and business, was introduced after feedback from earlier cohorts.

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“We realised medicine does not exist in isolation. Doctors also need leadership, finance and communication skills.”

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Faturoti said the programme continues to evolve through regular evaluations, including a mid-term review introduced this year, and now includes group mentoring sessions so participants can learn from multiple mentors.

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She said the programme has also shifted its approach to the Japa conversation.

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“We realised that simply telling young doctors not to leave isn’t realistic. Instead, we encourage them to relocate only if it’s part of a well-thought-out career plan. Our goal is not to make decisions for them but to help them make informed ones.”

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Summing up the programme’s philosophy, Faturoti said: “Medical school provides the clinical foundation. We provide the additional knowledge and practical skills that help young doctors build successful careers, lead organisations and create lasting impact.”

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In her words, medical school gives young doctors the cake; mentorship provides the icing that helps them thrive long after graduation.

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