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Blakskill Limited has stepped up its commitment to supporting people living with disabilities by partnering with Sightsavers to host the Lagos Career Fair to connect job seekers with disabilities to employment opportunities.
Speaking at the career fair, themed, ‘Inclusive Employment Policies & Workplace Diversity,’ held in Lagos recently, Micheal Alasa, chief executive officer, Blakskill, reaffirmed his organisation’s stand on the course of its commitment to helping and supporting people with disabilities.
“This is more than a fair — it’s a movement. Inclusion must go beyond policy. It must become a practice. We’re proud to be part of a new wave of change, where talents with disabilities are seen, heard, and hired,” Alasa said.
“We refuse to allow barriers, systemic neglect, and outdated policies to deny talented Nigerians their right to work, thrive, and contribute to our economy,” he added.
He noted that for decades, talented persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been systematically shut out of the workforce not because they lack skill, intelligence, or ambition, but because of policies that were designed without them in mind.
He noted that only three persons with disabilities in Nigeria are formally employed, citing data from the World Bank, he added that the country loses over N10 trillion annually due to the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the workforce.
“Out of over 30 million Nigerians living with disabilities, less than five percent have access to higher education, vocational training, or employment opportunities,” he said.
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According to him, many workplaces remain inaccessible, and employers still harbor unconscious bias that prevents them from hiring PWDs.
“This is unacceptable. And the truth is, when we exclude talent, we cripple our economy, our industries, and our nation’s future,” he explained.
To change the narrative, he noted that Blakskill stands at the forefront of driving change and together with Sightsavers, a global leader in disability inclusion, will bridge the gap between inclusive employers and highly skilled professionals.
He urged the government to ensure the effective implementation of the Disability Prohibition Act (2018) and mandatory employment quotas for PWDs and incentives for inclusive employers.
He also called on the government to ensure employers provide accessible workplace infrastructures for people with disabilities and invest more in upskilling them with tech and digital marketing skills where they can excel.
Speaking also, Gambo Yoana, project officer at Sightsavers, said his organisation believes in creating real, lasting change by ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to dignified, meaningful employment.
“This fair is a significant step in transforming intention into action,” Yoana said.
The career fair brought together leading employers, hiring professionals, HR managers, and ecosystem partners with one shared purpose — to connect skilled, job-ready persons with disabilities (PWDs) to meaningful employment opportunities and promote a future of work that is inclusive, diverse, and equitable.
Over 20 companies participated in the fair, with several holding on-the-spot conversations with job seekers and expressing intent to pursue inclusive recruitment initiatives. Attendees also received tailored guidance on workplace readiness, CV reviews, and employer expectations.
The second edition of the Career Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, 2025, in Kano, extending the impact to talents and organisations in Northern Nigeria.
