The UK taxi driver still being paid as a Nigerian civil servant

Sabitu Adams, a Nigerian who now works as a taxi driver in the UK, continues to receive a salary from his former job as a junior official at a government agency in Nigeria. Despite leaving Nigeria two years ago, Adams did not formally resign from his position and still gets paid 150,000 naira ($100; £80) each month. President Bola Tinubu has recently ordered a crackdown on such cases, stating that those who have fraudulently collected money must refund it. Adams, however, is not concerned about losing his Nigerian salary as he earns significantly more driving a taxi in the UK. He chose not to resign from his job in Nigeria to keep the option open to return in the future.

Over the past two years, more than 3. 6 million Nigerians have relocated to other countries in search of better opportunities. This phenomenon is referred to as 'japa,' a Yoruba word meaning to escape or flee. The collapse in the value of the naira has made it increasingly difficult for young Nigerians to earn a decent living in their home country. President Tinubu has expressed his shock at the revelations of civil servants who have moved abroad while still drawing salaries without formally resigning. He has called for an investigation into those who allowed this to happen and for the money to be repaid.

Ghost-working, where non-existent workers continue to receive salaries, is a significant issue in Nigeria. Despite several crackdowns, it is believed that thousands of ghost workers remain on the payroll. This is the first time it has been suggested that people who have moved abroad are being paid on a large scale. Auwal Yakasai, a retired director in charge of finance at Kano state's information ministry, mentioned that he had heard of such cases but had never caught anyone in the act. Since taking office in May last year, President Tinubu has pledged to reduce the cost of governance and cut wastage. However, some critics argue that there is a lot of talk in his administration without much action. They point to plans to buy new planes worth millions of dollars for Tinubu and his deputy Kashim Shettima, as well as the recent launch of a new official residence for Vice-President Shettima in Abuja, costing $13. 6m (£11m). Despite the president's statements about cracking down on foreign ghost-workers, he has not specified what actions will be taken against those responsible.