Lifelong learning, digital skills key for strengthening labour market

Continous learning and Digitisation in the labour sector and the arrival of hybrid working have determined the newest market trends. Still, they also highlight the skills that talent should offer in Nigeria and the surrounding region.

This was the goal at the recently concluded Talent Summit Africa 2021, powered by elev8. The virtual event demonstrated the importance of continued learning, digital and automatic learned, and resilience in times of crisis.

The Talent Summit Africa 2021 offered striking data, such as the fact that in 2025, 85 million jobs that we know today will have disappeared. Still, in the same period, 97 million new jobs are expected to have been created thanks to newly implemented technologies.

Delivering the keynote address on the topic, “How Digital Transformation Will Secure a Sustainable Future for Africa”, Vice President, Airtel Nigeria, Oluwaseun Solanke, commenced with the journey of digital transformation in Nigeria from when the Nigerian government changed the Federal Ministry of Communications to Federal Ministry of Communications and digital economy with a mandate to develop and implement a harmonised and well coordinated digital economy, policy and strategy.”

To retain talent within a business, we need to evolve the necessary skills within the same post or job profile (upskilling), but the requirement has also emerged to go beyond and prepare a professional to develop technical skills required by a dynamic labor market (reskilling).

Speaking at the virtual event through his welcome address, Country Managing Director, elev8 Nigeria, Lars Johannisson, said: “The discussion around growth and talent is intimately connected to two very important factors which are skilling and talent. Bringing talent and skilling together can scale both business and economy by bringing a larger portion of the population into this growing economy is a paramount imperative for all of individuals working in the IT environments.”

According to the World Economic Forum, two out of every three employers will receive a return on investment within a year if they reskill their employees. 

Other speakers at the summit included: Director Microsoft Consulting Services, Middle East and Africa, Multi Country Cluster Region Wale Olokodana; COO Flutterwave, Bode Abifarin; Chief Digital Officer for AXA Mansard Insurance Plc. Bayo Adesanya; and CCO at AppZone, Yvonne Ige.

The panelists who discussed ‘The Future of Jobs, The Implications and Role on People, Businesses, and Government’ were: Head Startups, LSETF, Ireayo Oladunjoye; HRBP East & West Africa, NielsenIQ, Emmanuel Abegunde; Group Managing Director, Creditville Group Limited, Richard Rotoye; Country Digital and Technology Platform Director, Coca Cola, Obinna Ukonu; Country Manager, TeleSoftas, Emmanuel Mimshach Obioha; and Head, Enterprise Innovation Hub, Nsikak John.

Click link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8hjNqPCC8wOVe7T8lFrsbQ to watch The Talent Summit Africa 2021