Speakers at the recently concluded Lagos Career Fair, organised by Nigeria’s leading career development and recruitment solutions company, Jobberman Nigeria, applauded the organisation for its activities and provisions to make the Fair more attractive to female professionals and persons with disabilities.
Speaking during the Career Fair, Egharevba Stephanie, Mastercard Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council – Diversity & Inclusion Lead, said, “Diversity is not just a buzzword. It is the key to innovation and change. When we talk about people with disabilities, they are human beings with potential who are innovative as well.”
In the last decade, female participation in the labour force in Nigeria has witnessed a steady decline, reaching a record low of 43.78% in 2023, compared to about 57% in 2010 for women aged 15 years and older. This is according to the World Bank’s collection of development indicators, relying on data collected from the country’s official sources. While the numbers do not pose an immediate concern, further analysis of female participation in the informal sector reveals that out of the 43.78% of women in Nigeria’s labour force, a significant percentage are engaged in informal labour with limited prospects for advancement and economic prosperity.
This underscores the importance of Jobberman Nigeria’s Career Fair and the platform provided to female job seekers, including mothers, to engage and pitch prospective employers for an opportunity to get jobs or find more fulfilling roles.
Speaking on the decision to create a platform that recognised and addressed the challenges women and persons with disability face while seeking jobs, Esther Adelusi, Gender & Inclusivity Coordinator at Jobberman Nigeria, said, “Women contribute immensely to society; however, poor support and lack of representation in the spaces that matter have hindered their growth in the professional careers. Childcare is a major concern for working mothers, and that is why we provided the free creche for mothers with children aged 0 – 5 years at the career fair. We want organisations to model this system in the workplace and implement policies that promote gender equity, enabling more women to make meaningful contributions to our growing economy.”
The Jobberman Lagos Career Fair featured a keynote address delivered by Kemi Onabanjo-Joseph, Associate Partner, Mckinsey & Company, and a career development panel session, where job seekers were challenged to craft their career journey with practical strategies for stepping up and advancing. Panelists for the session included Ifeoma Okoruen, Head of HR Mouka Limited, and Wale Oyepeju, Co-Founder of Vendease. Others were Jide Sipe, Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications at EcoBank, and Ololade Odunsi, Talent Lead at Founders Factory Africa.
Notably, Jobberman Nigeria’s She’s More advocacy program was especially highlighted with a female-focused panel session titled “Fostering Inclusion: Promoting Policies and Practices that Support Gender Equity in the Workplace”. The session was moderated by Samantha Ifezulike – Head, People & Culture, Jobberman Nigeria, and speakers included Dr Nkechi Eke Nwankwo, Gender and Economic Empowerment Specialist; Kanyinsola Mba, Head, Human Capital Management, Oando Energy Resources, and Cynthia Sanyaolu, Head, Talent Management, Polaris Bank.
As part of Jobberman Nigeria’s initiatives under the Young Nigeria Works strategy in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the goal of the Jobberman Lagos Career Fair is to democratise dignified employment opportunities for women and youth, improve their economic conditions, and boost their participation in the Nigerian economy.
About Jobberman Nigeria
Jobberman Nigeria is Nigeria’s leading career development and recruitment solutions company, connecting qualified job seekers with verified employers.
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