At conferences, boardrooms, startup panels, and government meetings, a lot is being said about talent development, but when it comes down to it, we’re still asking the same quiet question: where is the pipeline?
Yes, we have people who are enthusiastic, driven, and desire to grow, but something always gets in the way. Talent in Nigeria is still not developing at the rate or in the direction that our economy urgently requires.
We see young Nigerians learning to code, managing businesses from their phones, and balancing several side projects even while enrolled in school or NYSC, while employers, on the other hand, are pushing through tight budgets to train their teams or find experienced hires in a declining pool. Every other month, government agencies launch new skill-development initiatives to scale up our talent pool.
The fact that we are still not where we should be in spite of these efforts is not only a frustrating reality but also risky because, in reality, our most ambitious goals, from technological innovation to industrial growth, would remain unattainable without consistent, intentional investment in talent development.
One of our deepest human capital challenges is fragmentation. We deliver education in one silo, training in another, and recruitment in yet another; none of them speak the same language. The result of this is a conveyor belt that produces graduates who are disconnected from the realities of today’s labour market. Most graduates leave school uncertain of the skills today’s job market truly demands, while businesses have quietly stopped looking to universities for recruitment. This disconnect is not accidental; it is the outcome of a system without a central strategy, without alignment, and without a shared vision on how education should translate into economic growth.
This is not only inefficient; it is also costly and time-consuming. It also creates a feedback loop where people are constantly underprepared for the opportunities available, while organisations are constantly underwhelmed by the talent they attract.
“That means mentoring more deliberately, embedding learning into the rhythm of work, and entrusting people with responsibilities that stretch them rather than confining them to slideshows.”
There’s also the cultural approach towards growth. Many businesses still consider talent development as a one-time event, a workshop, training, or performance evaluation, but growth is not a checkbox; it is not something you do once and then forget. If we are serious about growing people, we must make learning a part of our daily reality, not something we save for when we have time, but something we deliberately include in how we work, lead, and build teams.
We also need to let go of the obsession with paper qualifications. For far too long, degrees have been the primary proof of preparation. However, the future of work will be centred around individuals who can think, adapt, create, and collaborate. We see young people successfully teaching themselves product design, AI, marketing, and software development from the comfort of their own bedrooms.
Too many businesses remain hesitant to invest deeply in their people, sceptical that employees will absorb the training and walk away. But the greater danger is the opposite, that the organisation stagnates because its workforce never grows. The most successful companies in Nigeria, and across the continent, understand this truth. They treat talent development not as a line item expense but as a long-term growth strategy. These firms are far from perfect, but they build deliberately, creating environments where people stay, not because they are bound, but because they feel valued, challenged, and inspired to grow alongside the business.
No single business or institution can close Nigeria’s human capital gap alone. Government policy must provide the scaffolding, a national framework that unites education, industry, and innovation under one roof. We need a system that aligns what students learn with what employers demand, one that values both technical expertise and soft skills, and one that ensures access across regions, income levels, and life stages. From the young graduate in Ibadan to the mid-career professional in Kogi seeking to pivot into new industries, learning must be continuous, relevant, and inclusive.
Yet while we await bold policy reform, inaction is not an option. Every business, school, trainer, and leader has a role to play in transforming talent development from theory into lived reality. That means mentoring more deliberately, embedding learning into the rhythm of work, and entrusting people with responsibilities that stretch them rather than confining them to slideshows. It means spotting raw potential early and nurturing it consistently, instead of scrambling for already-made talents that are already scarce and expensive.
Nigeria has never lacked potential; what we have lacked is organisation, discipline, and the shared will to make talent development a true national priority. Not just a slogan in a speech or a bullet point in a policy document. The good news is that it is not too late. We can still design an ecosystem that helps people grow, one that creates opportunities for millions rather than a lucky few. It will demand commitment, collaboration, and a simple but radical belief: that when given the right tools, support, and environment, Nigerians are capable of producing the future they deserve.
Every prosperous nation stands not only on the strength of its ideas but also on the capacity of its people. If Nigeria wants to claim its place in the global economy, the path forward is clear: we must bet boldly on our people, and we must begin now.
About the writer:
Deborah Yemi-Oladayo is the Managing Director of Proten International, a leading HR consulting firm in Nigeria, specialising in talent acquisition, learning and development, and HR advisory services. Email: d.yoladayo@protenintl.com
