At Nigeria’s inclusive career fair, the discussion centered around how technology can serve as a tool to create employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
This is a significant step for a group that has long been sidelined in one of the continent’s largest economies.
BlakSkill, in collaboration with Sightsavers, a non-governmental organization advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, organized an event to help Cisco-trained individuals with disabilities enter the workforce.
During the event, it was highlighted that the lack of employment opportunities for people with disabilities costs Nigeria at least 10 trillion Naira annually.
BlakSkill’s CEO, Michael Alasa, shared an eye-opening statistic during his speech at the event:
“Only three percent of people with disabilities are formally employed. This is a talent waste we can’t afford.”
In 2024, Nigeria’s digital payments reached 713 billion dollars, and the number of internet users rose to 120 million.
Sightsavers’ Economic Empowerment Officer, Gambo Yohanna, introduced a nine-month Cisco networking course and demonstrated how visually impaired talents mastered laboratory work.
Yohanna encouraged employers, saying:
“Employers must adapt—technology makes this possible.” He also added, “This is nation-building.”
Through this initiative, Nigeria can further increase its already impressive potential workforce. In the long term, this effort could contribute to sustainable development and benefit the country.