As Nigeria’s labour market continues to grapple with skills mismatches, youth unemployment and rapid technological change, reskilling and upskilling are expected to dominate the human resources (HR) agenda in 2026, writes GLORIA NWAFOR.
Beyond the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), the defining question for Nigerian organisations will be how effectively they invest in people while navigating economic uncertainty and digital disruption.
Looking ahead, HR leaders must respond not only to global workplace trends but also to local realities, including economic volatility, talent migration, infrastructure constraints, and a widening skills gap.
While AI is increasingly reshaping recruitment, learning, and performance management, experts insist that human judgment, adaptability and creativity will remain indispensable.
From persistent skills shortages and economic inactivity to rising employee expectations around fairness, inclusion and well-being, the HR landscape in Nigeria is becoming more complex. Analysts said 2026 will require organisations to rethink traditional talent pipelines and adopt more flexible, inclusive approaches to workforce development.
According to HR practitioners, managing the pace of technological change – particularly AI integration – will be one of the biggest challenges in the year ahead. However, they stress that technology alone will not deliver productivity gains unless employees are properly equipped to work alongside it.
Speaking on balancing AI adoption with human capability, Chief People Officer at PwC, Phillippa O’Connor, said organisations must focus on building both AI literacy.
“This is an investment in confidence as much as capability. In a fast-changing environment, people need to feel confident that they can build meaningful and sustainable careers,” she said.
O’Connor explained that embedding learning into daily work and mapping workforce skills more effectively allows organisations to identify gaps and unlock underutilised talent – an approach Nigerian employers can adopt to address skills shortages without relying solely on external recruitment.
On talent mobility, a human resources officer at Radisson Hotel Group, Iñigo Capell, urged HR leaders in Nigeria to take more calculated risks on people rather than recruiting only candidates who meet nearly all job requirements.
“In markets where skills are scarce, organisations need to focus on potential, not just experience. Lateral moves and internal mobility can unlock talent that already exists within the organisation,” he said.
Capell also stressed the importance of structured mentoring programmes, particularly to support women’s career progression, noting that visible leadership involvement helps embed inclusion into corporate culture.
Addressing economic inactivity and workforce participation, Head of HR at AXA, Amanda Vaughan, described economic inactivity as a major driver of talent shortages globally – a challenge that resonates strongly in Nigeria, where a large proportion of working-age citizens remain underemployed or outside the formal labour market.
She said organisations must build strategic agility by prioritising reskilling, widening talent pools and creating work environments that attract diverse candidates, including young people, women and professionals returning to work.
“Employees need clarity about how their roles connect to organisational strategy. When people understand the ‘why’ behind change, they are more likely to engage and adapt,” Vaughan said.
She added that building future-ready skills requires a foundational understanding of AI, why it matters to business performance, and how to use it responsibly, alongside human skills such as judgment, problem-solving, and perspective.
President of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Ahmed Gobir, said the future of work in Nigeria will not be defined by technology alone, but by leadership choices that prioritise people.
“The future will not reward the strongest or the smartest, but those brave enough to stay human in a digital world,” Gobir said. He emphasised the need to reshape the mindset, skills, and workplace culture of the Nigerian workforce to align with global standards, while reaffirming CIPM’s commitment to equipping HR professionals with competencies that keep workplaces humane, inclusive, and adaptable to technological disruption.
Gobir warned that Nigeria is at a defining moment, noting that leadership decisions taken today will determine whether the country emerges as a global talent hub or continues to lag in innovation and productivity.
On HR trends to watch in 2026, founder and Managing Director of HR Star, Kelly Tucker, said Nigerian organisations that put humanity and purpose at the centre of work would be better positioned to retain talent amid rising emigration and competition for skilled professionals.
“Employees are increasingly clear about what they want – meaningful work, fairness, flexibility, and recognition as individuals, not just as resources,” she said.
Tucker noted that while AI is already embedded in many HR processes, its role in 2026 will shift from novelty to infrastructure, enabling HR teams to move away from administrative tasks and focus on coaching, engagement, and relationship-building. She added that technology offers Nigerian organisations an opportunity to better understand their workforce, identify early signs of burnout, and personalise learning and wellbeing support.
Trust, she stressed, will be critical. Transparency around data usage and strong ethical governance will be essential to ensure employees feel supported rather than monitored.
Hybrid working, according to Tucker, will remain the norm, but the focus will shift from physical location to belonging and equal access to opportunity. Outcomes-based performance will increasingly replace presenteeism, reinforcing trust and accountability.
“Learning and development will become more human-centred. Coaching, mentoring, and continuous feedback will sit alongside digital learning, helping employees navigate change and see a future for themselves within Nigerian organisations,” she said.
Experts insisted that as Nigeria’s economy continues to evolve, organisations that invest deliberately in reskilling, upskilling, and employee wellbeing will be better positioned to build resilient workforces capable of driving sustainable growth.
