The need to quickly bridge the widening skill gap in Nigeria’s telecoms sector came to the fore yesterday in Lagos, when the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) hosted a critical Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Skill Gaps in the Telecom Value Chain.
The forum, sounding the alarm on a growing talent shortage in the country’s telecommunications sector, held under the theme, ‘Bridging the Telecom Value Chain Skill Gap: Empowering Indigenous Talents for Industry Growth’, brought together key players from the industry, government and academia to develop a collaborative strategy to tackle the issue.
The NCC’s focus on this issue comes as a new report, referenced at the event, reveals that as many as 27 per cent of roles in the telecom industry are becoming increasingly difficult to fill. This widening skills gap is attributed to the rapid evolution of technology, particularly in areas like data analysis, AI, and cybersecurity, which are creating new, highly specialized roles that the current workforce is not adequately equipped to handle.
The Guardian had reported on Tuesday how Japa, vandals, and investor fatigue kept telecom services below par, stressing that over 2500 professionals have left the country since 2022 to seek greener pastures outside the country.
Indeed, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that the inability to fill these roles is hampering innovation, increasing workload for existing staff, and ultimately threatening the growth of the Nigerian digital economy. He stressed the importance of a multi-faceted approach that includes investing in training and reskilling; strengthening academia-industry linkages; promoting indigenous talent, addressing foundational skills, among others.
Precisely, Maida, represented by the Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Edoyemi Ogor, emphasised the need for comprehensive programmes to upskill the existing workforce and reskill those from other sectors to meet the new demands of the digital era.
He explained that the missing competencies cut across four areas: core technical skills, software and data, business and strategic skills, and soft skills. Challenges such as reliance on expatriates, brain drain, poor remuneration, and limited industry-aligned curricula, he noted, continue to deepen the deficit.
He called for a closer collaboration between universities and telecom companies to ensure that academic curricula are aligned with the practical needs of the industry. He said this would produce graduates with the in-demand skills necessary to secure employment and contribute to the sector.
Very important, according to him, is the fact that it is important to empower local talent to fill these crucial roles, reducing the reliance on foreign expertise and fostering sustainable industry growth from within.
While the focus was on advanced digital skills, a deeper conversation at the forum revolved around the need for strong foundational skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication, which are essential for adapting to a rapidly changing technological landscape.
Maida listed ongoing interventions, including the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, the National Digital Literacy Framework, NCC’s Digital Learning Initiative and Campus Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, and private sector contributions from Airtel, MTN, ATCON, and IHS. He urged participants to generate actionable recommendations from the forum’s breakout sessions to help bridge these gaps.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, stressed the urgent need to build mid-level technical manpower to sustain infrastructure.
