Kofi Ansah left Ghana to become a world famous fashion designer – how his return home boosted the industry

Adwoa Owusuaa Bobie, Akosua Keseboa Darkwah and Katherine V. Gough

In the 1950s and 1960s, young Africans were assisted financially by their governments to study in western countries in the hope they would return to contribute to nation building. Individuals who qualified abroad and returned home formed the educated elites of immediate post-independent Africa.

Over the years, the demography of such migrants has changed to include professionals who after graduation at home move abroad in search of employment and remain there permanently. This loss of human talent and skills – the “brain drain” – is arguably one of Africa’s key developmental challenges.

The migration of highly skilled professionals such as doctors, nurses, engineers and academics from Africa has serious economic, political and social implications for development.

But there is another side to the migration of skilled people. That is “brain gain” – the return migration of professionals – and “brain