Stakeholders at the inauguration of African Development Bank’s (AfDB) report on Monday in Abuja has urged Nigeria to create jobs through new industrialisation techniques.
They made the call at the inauguration of AfDB report on “Creating Descent Jobs-Strategies, Policies and Instruments”.
Mr Mansur Ahmed, the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and a member of the panel said that Nigeria could also achieve more economic prosperity through structural transformation.
Ahmed said it was possible whereby a society’s resources like labour, capital and technology were moved from the sector where they yield few economic benefits to where the payoffs were the highest.
According to him, industrialisation is a more powerful engine for economic and social change in the context of globalisation as it provides an almost infinite potential for growth.
Mr Dennis Zulu, Country Director of International Labour Organisation (ILO), Nigeria, said that over-dependent on school certificates would not take the country anywhere.
Zulu said that the country must increase its urge to explore practical skills.
He said:”the market out there is looking for artisans, those who have the practical skills to contribute to economic development through provision of goods and services”.
While identifying unemployment as a major factor promoting internet fraud, Zulu urged Nigerians to explore digital skills to support the development of the country.
The ILO official said that so far, economic development had not translated to jobs and called for a conducive atmosphere for the private sector to thrive.
Zulu said that the responsibility to create jobs lies with the private sector.
According to him, access to employment, social dialogue and social security are critical in promoting decent jobs in the country.
Also speaking, Dr Martina Nwordu, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, said that Nigeria would leverage on opportunities provided by technology to make indecent jobs decent as well as grow the economy.
Mrs Ifeoma Okafor-Obi, the Director of Operations, Tony Elumelu Foundation, said that efforts must be redirected toward creating employment and generating revenue through the creative industry.
She said: “many African economies depend on natural resource exploitation and this makes the continent particularly vulnerable to overexploitation of its natural resources, assets and destruction of its natural system.
“For example, the importance of creative industry is now widely recognised.
“The interface between creativity, culture, economics and technology as expressed in the ability to create and circulate intellectual capital, has the potential to generate income, jobs and exports.
“At the same time, it can promote social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development,” Okafor-Obi said.
