The Country Director of HP Nigeria, Emmanuel Eze, has stressed that Nigeria’s biggest challenge is not a shortage of talent but the lack of pathways that connect education with employment.

Speaking on HP’s vision for workforce development during an interview on the company’s Gaming Garage initiative, Eze said Nigeria possesses abundant entrepreneurial potential and talents but must strengthen the link between education, industry and the labour market to unlock sustainable economic growth.

According to him, stronger collaboration among government, academia and the private sector is needed to equip Nigerian youths with commercially relevant digital skills.

He argued that countries that have successfully prepared their young populations for the future of work have built strong partnerships among educational institutions, governments and industry players, while prioritising practical learning, industry-recognised skills and continuous upskilling.

Eze stressed that tertiary institutions must move beyond theoretical learning by integrating practical industry exposure into academic programmes to prepare graduates for a rapidly evolving labour market.

According to him, the future workforce will require not only technical competence but also creativity, problem-solving, collaboration and lifelong learning.

He said HP’s Gaming Garage initiative was designed to complement classroom learning by exposing students to emerging technologies and practical applications that develop skills relevant to the digital economy.

“At HP, we believe Nigeria’s greatest competitive advantage is its people. There is no shortage of talent or ambition. The real opportunity is creating stronger connections between education, industry and employment so that young people can translate their potential into careers that drive economic growth,” he said.

Eze described gaming as a powerful platform for developing future workplace competencies, adding that game development combines coding, design, storytelling, project management and creative thinking.

He explained that the Gaming Garage programme uses gaming to help young people acquire transferable skills that extend beyond the gaming industry into technology, engineering media and other sectors of the digital economy.

On the growing influence of artificial intelligence, the HP Nigeria Country Director maintained that while AI would automate routine tasks, human capabilities such as creativity, critical thinking, adaptability and emotional intelligence would become increasingly valuable.

According to him, scalable and sustainable workforce development programmes will depend on shared commitment from government, universities and the private sector, combining access to technology with relevant learning opportunities, industry expertise and recognised credentials.

Eze emphasised that preparing Nigeria’s future workforce requires collective action, noting that no single organisation can achieve the objective alone.

Eze added that HP evaluates the long-term impact of initiatives such as Gaming Garage by measuring whether participants secure employment, pursue further education, establish businesses or contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s digital economy.

He also urged businesses to increasingly recruit based on adaptability, creativity and problem-solving abilities rather than academic qualifications alone, adding that education systems should produce innovators and entrepreneurs instead of only job seekers.

Highlighting Nigeria’s competitive advantage, Eze said the country’s youthful population, entrepreneurial culture and creative talent position it to become a leading source of innovation and digital expertise in Africa.

He noted that Nigeria’s globally recognised creative industries, particularly Nollywood, demonstrate the country’s immense potential, expressing confidence that future technology professionals and digital creators would further transform filmmaking, storytelling and content production while opening new opportunities within the gaming industry.

Looking ahead, Eze urged business leaders to focus not only on adopting emerging technologies but also on ensuring employees continuously acquire the skills needed to use them effectively.

Eze also identified digital inclusion as a critical priority, warning that the benefits of technological advancement must be accessible to a wider segment of society.

He stressed that meaningful progress over the next five years would be reflected in stronger collaboration among government, universities and industry, expanded access to industry-aligned credentials and digital skills training, thriving innovation hubs, globally competitive Nigerian startups and increased investment in technology and innovation.

Eze reaffirmed HP’s commitment to supporting workforce development through partnerships and investments aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and creating opportunities for young people to participate in the country’s growing digital economy.