Over 100 million Nigerian youth lack digital skills for gainful employment- Report

More than 100 million young Nigerians lack the essential digital skills needed to seize job opportunities that require modern know-how. This was revealed in a report by GetBundi, an online education technology company. The company conducted a survey that sheds light on a pressing concern in Nigeria.

The implications of this digital divide, as pointed out by Mr. Osita Oparaugo, the Chief Executive Officer of GetBundi, are far-reaching. The survey’s outcomes underscore a huge gap in digital skills, which has been closely tied to the country’s persistently high unemployment rate.

This pressing issue gains even more prominence as Mr. Oparaugo provides an example to emphasize the extent of the problem. According to a separate survey conducted by GetBundi in 2023, he highlights the lack of digital proficiency among the young members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Out of the 100 participants observed, just 19 exhibited some form of digital skills. This statistic serves as a reminder that outside their core areas of studies, many Nigerian tertiary students do not put in enough effort towards acquiring crucial digital competencies.

The spheres of this digital skills gap run across various dimensions. Access to gainful employment, participation in the evolving digital economy, and socio-economic development of the nation are all at a disadvantage. As Nigeria seeks to carve a space for itself in the global digital economy, the significance of equipping its young population with digital skills should not be abandoned. Bridging this gap entails not just individual empowerment, but also the potential to unlock new avenues for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth.

Addressing this issue requires collaborative efforts from various stakeholders – educational institutions, government bodies, private sector players, and technology-focused organizations like GetBundi. The recognition of this challenge serves as a call for initiatives aimed at imparting digital literacy, facilitating technology access, and fostering an ecosystem that nurtures digital talents. By doing so, Nigeria will be closer to a future where its youth are well-equipped to thrive in an increasingly digital world, ensuring prosperity and progress for generations to come.

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Unemployment- an intriguing area that digital skills can fix

As many new graduates struggle to find work due to a substantial skills gap, the core cause of unemployment has become clear. In response to this worry, Oparaugo emphasizes the critical role that a lack of digital literacy plays in this sad scenario.

Oparaugo asserts that the absence of digital skills has emerged as a prominent factor causing an inability among countless graduates produced by tertiary institutions each year to find employment within the job market. He added that these graduates face a challenge since they lack digital capabilities, and the talents they have are primarily rudimentary Microsoft Excel competency and fundamental knowledge.

He explained that a closer examination of the situation reveals a startling reality: the majority of youths who have some understanding were familiar with Microsoft Excel and essential concepts. Surprisingly, only seven people understood complex concepts like programming, machine learning, and data science. It is worth noting, however, that all seven had obtained this expertise while travelling overseas — five from the United Kingdom, one from the United States, and one from Malaysia.

Speaking on this, he noted that these graduates keep up an active social media presence. 89 of them participate on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and 11 have active LinkedIn profiles. However, their knowledge of digital abilities is at best mediocre. Interestingly enough, although 15 of them had diplomas in a variety of science-based topics, tests of their practical knowledge reveal that they lack the necessary skills.

In a society where digital abilities are extremely powerful, this difficult situation is front and centre. Even while it is clear that these graduates are not entirely to blame for their condition, it is a thing of worry.

The need to close this gap goes beyond assigning blame and calls for a multidimensional strategy involving legislators, businesses, and educational institutions. Empowering graduates with crucial skills becomes important as the digital era continues to develop and change globally, ensuring that Nigeria’s workforce remains competitive and prepared for the demands of the modern day.

Why digital skills are in short supply

Oparaugo attributes the deficiency in digital skills to the inadequacies of Nigeria’s education system, which fails to align with the demands of the digital world. He criticizes the education system for not keeping up with the rapidly changing digital landscape. Many Nigerian universities and tertiary institutions employ outdated curricula that lack comprehensive coverage of practical digital skills.

Consequently, the education system fails to equip youths with the essential digital competencies required for both employment and self-employment opportunities.

He pointed out that the government had acknowledged the importance of tackling this problem and had already begun taking measures to improve digital knowledge and skill levels among young people. These measures involve various approaches, such as coding boot camps, online learning platforms, teaming up with tech firms, and organizing programs that emphasize digital creativity in entrepreneurship.

Although these approaches offer Nigerian youths avenues for acquiring and putting into practice digital skills, which in turn enhance their chances of getting good jobs and succeeding as entrepreneurs, he underscored that bridging the skills gap necessitates cooperative efforts from multiple fronts. This includes collaboration between the government, educational institutions, businesses in the private sector, and individuals themselves.

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