An author and governance and development strategist, Afolashade Jubrilla, has urged Nigeria’s policymakers to urgently align government policies, education systems and economic planning with the realities of the digital economy, warning that failure to do so could leave the country lagging behind its global and regional peers.
In a statement to The PUNCH, she stated that rapid technological change is reshaping the nature of work and employability.
According to her, traditional indicators such as academic certificates and long-term job tenure are no longer sufficient measures of workforce readiness in today’s economy.
“Certificates alone no longer guarantee employability, and longevity in a role no longer guarantees relevance,” she said. “What matters increasingly is the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, adapt quickly and work alongside intelligent systems.”
Jubrilla noted that Nigeria’s economic managers must move beyond narrow job-creation targets and instead prioritise building a resilient workforce capable of thriving in a digital-driven world.
She added that this shift requires sustained investment in skills development, innovation across key sectors and regulatory frameworks that reflect digital realities.
According to her, without deliberate policy reforms and long-term planning focused on digital transformation, Nigeria risks falling further behind as economies worldwide increasingly rely on technology, innovation and adaptable human capital to drive growth.
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