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Author
Felicia Okusiriki
Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
[email protected] 08065225430
ABSTRACT
Research Objective: This paper investigated how skills gaps resulting from medical labor migration influence organizational performance in Nigeria’s healthcare sector, with a particular focus on the consequences of workforce shortages for institutional effectiveness and resilience.
Methodology: The study adopted a qualitative, desktop-based conceptual review, synthesizing data from journal articles, policy reports, and institutional documents published between 2021 and 2025 to analyze the relationship between skills gaps and performance outcomes in healthcare organizations.
Findings: The review revealed that persistent medical labor migration has intensified both quantitative and qualitative skills gaps, disrupting daily operations, reducing efficiency, and weakening resilience within Nigerian healthcare institutions. These shortages have led to increased workloads, service delivery delays, diminished institutional memory, and financial inefficiencies. Effective management responses, including improved remuneration, structured mentorship, and strategic workforce planning, were identified as essential for mitigating these negative impacts.
Conclusion: The study concludes that the skills gap, driven largely by emigration and poor institutional management, is a critical determinant of organizational performance in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. Addressing this challenge requires comprehensive reforms targeting both retention and systemic workplace improvements.
Recommendations: It is recommended that policymakers prioritize retention-focused workforce reforms, expand training and professional development opportunities, and strengthen governance through digital HR technologies and leadership accountability to stabilize and enhance healthcare organizational performance.
Keywords: Skills Gap, Labor Migration, Organizational Performance, Healthcare, Nigeria