The term employability has become a common name amongst educators, researchers, and employers. It refers to the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to look for work and continue successfully in a career. Employability has been a challenge for graduates of Nigerian higher education institutions (HEIs) due to their failure to meet the current labor market expectations.
Current Nigerian graduates have consistently not acquired the skills needed for success in the workplace to learn and thrive continuously in a rapidly changing world. HEIs have been blamed for producing graduates who fail to meet employment demands in the labor market. Several distortions in the higher education systems are responsible for youth not being able to obtain and keep employment.
Failures to collaborate are obvious as employers continue to voice concern that the curriculum and standard teaching methods are not generating the graduates and future leaders they desire to hire.
Unemployment has been a problem in Nigeria for many years now, and this has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2015, the unemployment rate has tripled, and the government anticipated nearly 40 million job losses in December last year as a result of the virus.
Young people in Nigeria have been particularly affected by these issues within the job market, and many people are looking for work at the moment. One of the best things you can do to get a job in this difficult time is to upskill, so you can fill a gap in the job market and guarantee your future job security. Today we’re talking about the most in-demand skills for employability in Nigeria, to help you on your way.
What skills are employers in Nigeria looking for?
This isn’t a straightforward question to answer. In reality, the skills you’ll need will depend on the job you’re applying for and the type of company you want to work with. However, there are some reports that highlight where some of the top skills in Nigeria might be.
We’ve taken a look at some of the data out there, including in-demand and well-paying jobs, to pick out some of the top skills in Nigeria at the moment.
Hard skills
First, let’s look at some of the in-demand hard skills employers are looking for. These are the job-specific qualifications that you’ll need to succeed in a particular role. They’re the skills that can be taught in a formal and structured way. Some of the top hard skills in Nigeria include:
Digital marketing
As the world becomes more digital and everything moves online, the need for digital skills such as digital marketing increases. Nigeria is no exception here, and digital marketing skills are highly in demand, as every business needs to use digital marketing to gain customers.
Digital marketing specialists with skills in areas such as SEO, PPC, and Google Analytics will find many opportunities in Nigeria’s job market.
Computer programming and coding
The IT sector is growing and growing in Nigeria. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy in Nigeria suggested that figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the ICT sector would double the contribution made by the oil and gas industry to the country’s GDP in the next two years.
Within the IT sector, computer programming and coding are hugely popular and useful skills to have. As more Nigerian companies move online, they need programmers to design, develop, and test software for them. The most in-demand programming languages are MySQL, Python, and JavaScript, and the wage for junior developers in Nigeria is 62.5% higher than the minimum wage.
Fashion design
Fashion is extremely popular in Nigeria, so there will always be a demand for fashion designers who demonstrate creativity and passion. Fashion demand skills are high in demand, and the industry has provided an escape from unemployment and poverty for some of the Nigerian youth.
If you dream of setting up your tailoring shop or fashion line, there is potential to acquire the right skills in under a year in Nigeria. You’ll need practical experience in fashion design and creating garments, but also some knowledge of the industry.
App development
This ties in well with coding and programming skills, but app development is specifically in demand in Nigeria. Mobile app developers create, develop and manage new programs and applications that help companies stay up to date in the digital sphere. Many businesses want to create apps for use on smartphones, computers, tablets, and more, and that’s where you come in.
Soft skills
When it comes to employability skills in Nigeria, practical knowledge is certainly important. However, many employers feel that interpersonal and transferable skills are just as important as hard skills. Here are some of the soft skills that are sought-after at the moment:
Teamwork
Whatever job you work in, the chances are that you’ll need to work with other people. Teamwork skills are some of the most essential ones out there, yet many people don’t spend the time developing them. If you can demonstrate efficiency in this area, you’re sure to stand out to employers.
Management and leadership
No matter what job role you’re in, being able to show management and leadership qualities can make you stand out from the crowd. Often, these skills mean that you work well with others and bring out the best in them. They tie into many other abilities, such as organization, problem-solving, and productivity.
Adaptability
If the last 12 months have taught us anything, it’s that we have to be flexible and adaptable when reacting to change. In uncertain times, those who can show resilience and dependability, as well as other such leadership skills, can be invaluable to employers.