By Merit Ibe
Nigeria has reaffirmed its leadership in global workforce and education transformation with the successful hosting of the ‘Skills-to-Jobs: Strengthening Nigeria’s Workforce Systems for Economic Growth’ event in New York.
Organised by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Tech4Dev, Semicolon Africa and Avaara Partners, the gathering convened policymakers, private sector leaders, development partners and innovators to showcase Nigeria’s bold steps in linking education, skills and employment for sustainable growth.
In her remarks, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, emphasised the government’s determination to deliver systemic workforce reform.
“The future of work demands bold action. Our ministry, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, is investing in systems that prepare young Nigerians for the jobs of tomorrow, building bridges between skills providers, employers and industries to ensure that no talent is left behind,” she stated.
In his keynote, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to aligning education with labour market realities.
“Our vision is to ensure that every Nigerian learner is not only acquiring knowledge but also future-ready skills that unlock decent work opportunities. By strengthening the connection between classrooms and careers, we are laying the foundation for inclusive growth and national prosperity,” he said.
The first high-level panel explored policy reforms, digital infrastructure and opportunities in the creative and green economy. Key contributors included Mr. Rimamskeb Nuhu (Special Assistant to the Vice President on Strategy and Policy), Moriam Ajaga (Special Adviser to the President on Art & Culture), Ismaeel Ahmed (Executive Chairman, Presidential CNG Initiative), Olumbe Akinkugbe (Executive Director, Galaxy Backbone) and Sam Immanuel (CEO, Semicolon Africa).
A second panel examined skill-to-job linkages with insights from Rosy Fynn (Country Director, Mastercard Foundation Nigeria), Victoria Strokova (Programme Manager, Partnership for Economic Inclusion at HSPGE), Oladiwura Oladepo (Executive Director, Tech4Dev) and Sanyade Okoli (Special Adviser to the President on Finance and the Economy).
Mrs. Okoli stressed that reforms must translate into livelihoods: “Finance must show up on payslips, not just in statistics. That is why we are linking innovation, credit and social protection directly to employment outcomes, so that every investment fuels opportunities for young Nigerians.”
The event concluded with an interactive dialogue featuring youth voices, development partners and private sector leaders. Discussions reinforced Nigeria’s commitment to closing the training-to-employment gap, strengthening cross-sector partnerships and advancing reforms under the Renewed Hope agenda.
By aligning education, skills development and labour policies, Nigeria is not only positioning its youth for the jobs of tomorrow but also cementing its influence in shaping the global future of work.
