Okeleji, Minister, calls for stronger link between education, jobs

By Juliet Umeh CEO of Seamless Technologies, Dr Emmanuel Okeleji, has called for stronger alignment between Nigeria’s education system and the skills businesses require, emphasising the importance of employer data in identifying workforce gaps and informing skills development. He made the call during a panel session titled: “Building Nigeria’s Future Workforce” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

Dr Okeleji joined the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, Iyin Aboyeji and Dr Detoun Ogwo, Executive Director and Technical Advisor of the Skills Development Practice, to discuss how Nigeria can better prepare its workforce for changing labour market demands. Drawing on data from nearly 2,000 organisations across Africa that use Seamless Technologies’ platform, Dr Okeleji highlighted how recruitment and competency data can provide insight into the skills employers need and where gaps exist.

The platform processes nearly 20 million job applications, giving the company visibility into hiring patterns, employer requirements and the competencies candidates bring to the recruitment process. “The Federal Government has put a lot of intention behind revising the education curriculum. The question now is how we can support the work that is already under way.

“Seamless Technologies has a legitimate position to advise the government and provide the data we are seeing from employers that are hiring. This can help give a clearer picture of the skills businesses need and where the gaps exist,” he said. Dr Okeleji also highlighted the importance of small business survival in addressing unemployment, noting that creating jobs must go hand in hand with ensuring that the businesses providing those jobs can remain operational and grow over time.

He stressed that smaller companies need the conditions and support to develop into sustainable businesses capable of providing long term employment. At a separate session convened by Sterling One Foundation, Dr Okeleji examined the growing mismatch between the skills job seekers possess and the competencies employers require. He observed that businesses continue to struggle to find qualified candidates, particularly for roles requiring specialised technical and practical skills.

He further emphasised the responsibility of private sector organisations to contribute directly to reducing unemployment by expanding their workforce and creating more employment opportunities. “As a technology company, we have a responsibility to hire and contribute to reducing unemployment in Nigeria. The capital coming into the economy must translate into more jobs.

There is still a lot of work to do, and I believe we can create more jobs,” Dr Okeleji added. The conversations at the summit highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between government, educational institutions and the private sector to address Nigeria’s workforce challenges. By leveraging technology and workforce data, Seamless Technologies is contributing to a more skilled, productive and future-ready African workforce.