Africa must bridge youth skills gap to tackle unemployment – EU, NECA, others

Stakeholders from across Africa have called for greater investment in youth skills development and talent cultivation as a critical strategy for addressing the continent’s persistent unemployment challenge.

The call was made by representatives from five African countries—Nigeria, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire—during a one-day workshop held in Lagos last week.

The event, the first of its kind, was sponsored by the European Union (EU) in partnership with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN) Global. It was themed, “Youth Employment and Skilling Initiatives in Nigeria and Beyond.”

Speaking at the workshop, Wale Smatt-Oyerinde, Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), stressed the need for stronger collaboration between businesses and educational institutions to ensure training programmes are aligned with industry demands.

According to him, many unemployed young people lack the practical skills required in today’s workplace, making targeted skills development essential for job creation.

“Nigeria has a large population of young people without the right skill sets, making it difficult for them to secure employment. Skilling is therefore critical because it enhances employability and drives job creation. This challenge is not unique to Nigeria; it is common across many African countries,” he said.

Speaking virtually, Omowale Ogunrinde, founder of Field of Skills and Dreams, said the future of work depends less on academic qualifications alone and more on acquiring relevant, market-driven skills.

She urged employers to shift their focus towards investing in the training and development of young people.

“The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recognises apprenticeship as a critical pathway to workforce development.

Capacity cannot be built through academic institutions alone. What we have in Nigeria is more of a talent development problem than an unemployment problem. Employers must rise to the challenge by supporting skills training. If we fail to invest in developing the talents of our youth, businesses will continue to import expertise at significantly higher costs,” she said.

Kathryn Rowan, Executive Director of GAN Global, told BusinessDay that sub-Saharan African countries must develop sustainable solutions to address rising youth unemployment.

Rowan explained that GAN Global, a Geneva-based business-led alliance that connects companies, governments, and international organisations to promote quality apprenticeships, bridge skills gaps, and reduce youth unemployment, participated in the workshop to strengthen partnerships aimed at expanding skills development opportunities for young people.

She expressed concern over Nigeria’s unemployment rate, saying urgent action was needed. “We must find a solution to this challenge now,” she said.

According to Rowan, Nigeria was selected to host the workshop by the European Union, IOE, and GAN Global because of its strategic importance and leadership role within sub-Saharan Africa.

Also speaking, Ramon Moraes Sales Moura, Project Manager at the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), said the workshop was designed to bring together key stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop practical solutions to youth unemployment.

“We also felt it was important to bring youth representatives and employers into the same room to jointly develop workable solutions to youth unemployment in Africa. That is why five African countries—Namibia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria—were selected to participate. These countries face similar youth employment challenges, and we believe there is value in learning from one another and working together to address them,” Sales told BusinessDay.