Reno Omokri has sparked a debate by attributing Nigeria’s unemployment crisis not to a lack of jobs, but rather to a deficiency in skills.
He argues that despite the high unemployment rate, there are numerous job vacancies in sectors like oil and construction, which remain unfilled due to a shortage of skilled workers.
Omokri’s assertion highlights a significant issue: there are over half a million job vacancies in Nigeria’s oil sector and construction industry.
Positions in plumbing, carpentry, drywalling, welding, roofing, and masonry remain unoccupied.
This gap has led to the influx of foreign workers from countries such as the Philippines, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Benin, Togo, and Ghana, who possess the necessary skills to fill these roles.
A major contributing factor to this skills gap is the preference among Nigerians for university degrees in fields such as sociology, philosophy, linguistics, political science, library science, religious studies, and anthropology.
According to Omokri, these degrees do not align with the current job market demands, leaving graduates unemployed and frustrated, and leading to a perception that the government is to blame for the lack of jobs.
The situation was exemplified when Dangote needed technicians for his refinery project.
Unable to find a sufficient number of qualified Nigerians, the company had to import 11,000 technicians from India.
These technicians earn at least $750 per month, illustrating the lucrative opportunities that skilled trades can offer.
This incident underscores the mismatch between the skills possessed by Nigerian workers and the needs of employers.
Omokri challenges the common belief that all university degrees are equal in value.
He argues that degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are far more valuable than those in other fields.
Business, Economics, Law, Education, and Accounting follow in priority, while many other courses are seen as low-priority or “vanity courses” that are even being phased out in some foreign universities due to their limited economic value.
Omokri’s statements suggest that in terms of economic value, a non-graduate with skills in Nursing, Cloud Computing, Web Design, Ethical Hacking, Blockchain, or laboratory technology is more valuable than a graduate with a degree in fields like sociology or philosophy.
This perspective is intended to shift the focus from merely obtaining a degree to acquiring market-relevant skills.
The crux of Omokri’s argument is that Nigeria’s unemployment issue is largely due to a skills mismatch rather than an outright lack of job opportunities.
Addressing this mismatch by encouraging the acquisition of practical, in-demand skills could significantly reduce unemployment rates and enhance the country’s economic prospects.
By re-evaluating the value placed on different types of education and training, Nigeria can better align its workforce with the needs of its growing industries, thereby reducing the reliance on foreign labor and boosting local employment.
