How NECA Has Kept The Flame Of Employability Burning In Nigeria

In the face of persistent unemploy­ment and the rapidly shifting land­scape of the global job market, few institutions in Nigeria have shown as much unyielding commitment to reducing joblessness as the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) takes the from seat.

Over the years, NECA has proven to be more than just an employers’ body, it has emerged as a vital bridge between Nigeria’s teeming unemployed youth and a job market that is evolving at breakneck speed.

With its 2025 Annual Job & Employ­ability Fair themed “Future Ready: Har­nessing Digital Skills for Career Success and Employability”, NECA has once again reaffirmed its resolve to confront Nigeria’s unemployment crisis head-on.

The fair, which held at NECA House, Ikeja, Lagos, on May 15, 2025, represents not just another event on the calendar, but a continuation of a mission that the association has doggedly pursued for decades.

Nigeria’s unemployment rate has fluctuated significantly over the years, with millions of young graduates find­ing themselves stuck between academ­ic qualifications and a market that de­mands industry-specific skills, most of which are digital in nature.

With an expanding youth population, over 60% of Nigeria’s population is un­der the age of 25, and the exponential evolution of the workplace, traditional degrees no longer guarantee gainful em­ployment.

It is within this national context that NECA’s interventions stand out as im­pactful and forward-thinking.

Traditionally, NECA’s mandate re­volved around representing employers and advocating for conducive business environments.

However, over the years, the associa­tion has evolved into a driver of human capital development.

Through its flagship initiatives, par­ticularly the Job & Employability Fair, NECA has turned advocacy into action, helping to shrink the gap between job seekers and employers.

From career development workshops to panel discussions, and from hands-on interview sessions to direct engagement with hiring organisations, NECA has ensured that young Nigerians are not left stranded in an era where job roles are increasingly technical and digitally inclined.

Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, its Di­rector-General, in an exclusive inter­view with Daily Independent, said: “The Employability Fair once again provided an opportunity for many aspiring job seekers to interact with Employers that are willing and ready to recruit. It is in­structive to note that these candidates had gone through pre-training to enable them more prepared for the engagement with employers.

“The impact of this Job & Employ­ability Fair is far reaching. Beyond help­ing to bridge the unemployment gap, it also helps in redirecting the youths and changing their mindset. For us, it is another feather in our efforts to build and nurture talents for national develop­ment and enterprise growth”.

The 2025 edition of the Fair promis­es more than ever before was driven by beneficial and interesting topics such as career development sessions, network­ing hubs, on-the-spot interviews, ex­pert panel discussions, and exhibitions showcasing digital innovation. These features are more than event highlights, they are lifelines for thousands of young Nigerians.

Over the past decade, NECA’s annual Job and Employability Fair has grown in scale, sophistication, and impact. What started as a modest gathering of job seekers and corporate recruiters has now become one of the most anticipated employment-centric platforms in Nige­ria.

In previous editions, NECA partnered with top companies in telecommunica­tions, banking, oil and gas, FMCG, and ICT sectors, offering job seekers the rare opportunity to interface directly with recruiters. At each fair, hundreds of participants have landed internships, short-term roles, and full-time employ­ment on the spot. Others have received mentorship, access to job databases, and digital upskilling opportunities.

In essence, NECA’s yearly interven­tion does not just provide jobs, it culti­vates careers. The theme for 2025, “Fu­ture Ready: Harnessing Digital Skills for Career Success and Employability”, is a masterstroke that reflects the glob­al job market’s new reality. In today’s world, employers are on the lookout for candidates with practical digital com­petencies, not just paper qualifications.

This year’s fair will offer participants self-paced e-learning opportunities, al­lowing job seekers to build competencies in areas such as: Data analytics, Digital marketing, UI/UX design, Cybersecu­rity, Coding and software development and Remote work tools and etiquette.

This represents a fundamental shift in the way young Nigerians are being prepared for work. It is not just about finding a job; it is about becoming em­ployable in a 21st-century context.

One of NECA’s biggest achievements over the years has been its success in building trust between employers and job seekers. Many employers lament that graduates lack work readiness, while many graduates complain of a lack of opportunities.

Through consistent engagements, NECA has helped companies identify and attract talent that meets their spe­cific needs. Employers now see the an­nual fair not as charity but as strategic recruitment. This has led to stronger in­dustry-academia connections and more youth-centric employment pipelines.

By curating opportunities for on-the-spot interviews, NECA has also demy­stified the often-lengthy recruitment process. Job seekers can now pitch themselves directly, receive feedback, and improve on their delivery, all within the fair’s setting.

NECA’s interventions are inclusive by design. Over the years, their employ­ability fairs have consciously welcomed persons living with disabilities, women returning to the workforce, vocation­al training graduates, and even those with non-traditional educational back­grounds.

This inclusivity reflects a deep under­standing that Nigeria’s unemployment crisis is not one-dimensional it spans age, ability, gender, and geography.

Efforts have also been made to ex­tend the impact beyond Lagos. While the NECA House in Ikeja often hosts the flagship fair, satellite initiatives and partnerships across Nigeria ensure that no one is left behind.

NECA has leveraged strategic part­nerships to expand its footprint and deepen its impact. These include collab­orations with: The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for youth-focused technical skills development, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), for global employability best practices, Govern­ment MDAs such as the Federal Minis­try of Labour and Employment, Private sector leaders including Dangote Group, MTN, Access Bank, and Nestlé and In­ternational donors and development agencies focused on youth employment

These partnerships are not cosmetic; they have resulted in tangible job place­ments, digital training boot camps, in­ternship pipelines, and industry-driven curriculum reforms.

With Nigeria’s unemployment rate previously estimated at over 30% among youths, and even more when underem­ployment is considered, NECA’s consis­tent efforts represent a lifeline of hope.

More troubling is the recent trend of brain drain, as many Nigerian youths opt for “japa”, the act of emigrating in search of better economic conditions.

NECA’s employability programmes provide a counter-narrative: that there is a path to success here at home, if we invest in the right skills and connect with the right opportunities.

Many past participants of NECA’s fairs testify to how the events trans­formed their careers. “I got my first internship at the 2021 NECA fair,” says Kemi Adedoyin, now a software engi­neer. “The fair was my first real expo­sure to the professional world. That opportunity set the pace for everything that followed.”

Similarly, Musa Lawal, a mechani­cal engineering graduate from Kaduna Polytechnic, narrates: “I was just anoth­er unemployed graduate until I attend­ed the NECA fair in 2022. I got trained in CAD design and was later hired by a manufacturing firm.”

These are not isolated cases; they are part of a growing tapestry of success stories woven over the years by NECA’s consistent intervention.

NECA’s Job and Employability Fair model is not just a local success, it is a blueprint that can be replicated across other African nations battling unem­ployment. Its strength lies in its sim­plicity: align industry needs with job seekers’ training, create platforms for engagement, and continuously update content based on market trends.

As the 2025 edition beckons, the ex­pectation is that NECA will raise the bar even higher, engaging more employers, scaling up its digital curriculum, and amplifying its inclusion efforts.

In a country where promises of em­ployment often end as political rhetoric, NECA’s relentless drive to create sus­tainable employment avenues deserves applause and support. While many talk, NECA acts.

The association has gone beyond advo­cacy and lobbying to become a frontline soldier in the war against joblessness. In doing so, it has not only impacted individual lives but also strengthened Nigeria’s economic and social fabric.

The 2025 Job & Employability Fair is not just another event. It is another chapter in a story of unwavering com­mitment, a story that says “every Nige­rian deserves a fighting chance in the job market”.

And if NECA continues at this pace, that chance will be within reach for many more.

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).