From the Summit to the Workplace: Globalisation, Unemployment and the Role of Mentorship in the Nigerian Tech Revolution

By Timi Tope Ologunoye

The world of work is rapidly evolving, and it is without a shadow of doubt that globalization and technology are at the forefront of this transformation. Remote work is no longer considered a trend, rather it is seen as a necessity today. Organisations are increasingly open to employing talents from different continents than they operate, leading to a more diverse workforce.

As a developing economy, Nigeria is not left out of this revolution. The Labour Force Survey conducted by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and released in March 2021 showed that unemployment in the country stood at 33% in Q4 2020, up from 27% in Q2 2020, with youth unemployment rate hitting 42%. These figures paint a grim picture for the future of the Nigerian workforce, and while the government has made efforts to address this challenge, more needs to be done. It is, therefore, no surprise that many Nigerians are looking to the tech sector as a viable means for employment and career advancement.

Indeed, the rapid growth of the Nigerian tech ecosystem can be attributed to the ingenuity of the country’s youthful population who have embraced the digital revolution with open arms. The Nigerian youths have demonstrated an admirable appetite for knowledge with their growing acquisition of tech skills to show for it.

At the moment, it is not uncommon to find young Nigerians making a living by providing tech services either as freelancers or as employees of foreign companies. In fact, the trend of Nigerians, particularly those in the tech space, taking up remote jobs has gained significant momentum in recent years that some hold as much as 4 different jobs at the same time. All thanks to freelance platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and others.

Despite these strides, there is still a significant gap in the pipeline of talents required to sustain the growth experienced. The number of young Nigerians who possess the right skills and knowledge of how to navigate the global tech space remains inadequate. It appears as though the successes of Nigerians in the sector has made more people want to join the movement, however, the lack of proper guidance remains a challenge. This is where mentorship comes in.

Over the past few months, I have had the privilege of volunteering at the Lagos Digital Summit, an annual event founded by Adewale Adetona, a Nigerian digital technologist, and focused on the development and upskilling of digital media enthusiasts and business leaders.The opportunity to interact with the youth who are either already in the tech space or aspiring to enter the space was definitely eye-opening.

The passion and energy displayed by these individuals was rather impressive, yet it was apparent that they lacked the right direction and guidance to fully maximise the potential of the opportunities that abound.
Alongside other professionals in the IT industry, we were able to engage the participants and provide insights on the tech ecosystem, particularly with helping them understand the skills required to thrive, the challenges they would likely encounter and strategies for overcoming these challenges. The overarching feedback from participants after the sessions was that they desired more engagements similar to the ones we had, and that they felt more confident to take on the next steps in the journey.

This experience has reinforced the belief that mentorship is a critical component for preparing Nigerians to not only join the tech industry but to excel in the workplace at large. Far too many young people are going through their professional lives without proper guidance, which although is not the worst situation a person could find themselves in, it does limit the ability to make the significant leap and could serve as a source of frustration. The nation is in a state whereby private sector players need to step up and offer more support to the youth in the quest for skill development and career advancement.

Nigeria’s potential in the global tech industry is immense but arduous work is required for it to be fully realized. For one, the government needs to be more deliberate in how it creates an enabling environment for businesses. The policies and regulations governing the sector must be reviewed to ensure that they are fostering the desired objectives. Private sector operators also need to ensure that they support their communities better through mentoring as this will not gratify them at the time but also benefit them long-term with a highly skilled workforce.

On the flip side, the youth must also actively seek mentorship opportunities and be receptive to feedback even if it does not sound like music to their ears. Nigeria has the potential to be a global tech powerhouse and the time to actualise this potential is now.

Timi Tope Ologunoye is a Lagos-based Business Transformation & Change Management Leader and the Chief Operating Officer at Autochek Africa.