By Ngozi Ekugo
Copyright businessday
The Ministry of Wealth Creation in Lagos state in partnership with Human Capital Partners (HCP), recently hosted a job fair which had in attendance over 2000 participants connecting with 300 employers on ground.
The employers present cut across small to medium sized organisations and blue chip companies within manufacturing, banking, ICT, education, agriculture. Organisations like Dangote, Access Bank, Polaris bank, and many others, as well as recruitment agencies were present.
The fair was themed ‘Your Career, Your Way: Explore Endless Possibilities’, with the aim of connecting young Lagosians to a wide range of job and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Read also: Diageo, others move to tackle Nigeria’s rising youth unemployment
The 2025 job fair was a reflection of the states’ ongoing efforts to bridge the employment gap, and provides a platform that not only offers job access, but also builds the capacity of young people to thrive in a competitive workforce.
The fair which is the second edition was to reaffirm the ministry’s commitment to reducing youth unemployment through strategic career initiatives.
The event brought together over 2000 participants, was described as a flagship platform for empowering job seekers, young professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
This year’s edition featured breakout sessions on essential skills such as resume writing, interview coaching, digital product creation, and entrepreneurship.
Read also:Private sector rebound pushes Nigeria’s employment to 21-month high
Encouraging job seekers to take full advantage of the opportunity, the officials revealed that companies were present at the fair, actively seeking to recruit new talent.
Participants expressed optimism about the initiative, with attendees, sharing her hope of securing a job
Speaking at the event, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment said, “This is a platform where we are bringing the private sector, the government, and our unemployed and underemployed youth together,” he stated.
Read also: Top 10 skills to boost graduate employability in Nigeria’s 2025 job market
“It’s an opportunity for employers to meet these young people and get them off the streets. We have over 300 employers here who are ready to recruit this young, talented, and energetic youth, and I believe that they will all be employed”.
Oluwabunmi Salu, assistant consultant at HCP reaffirmed that the fair was set up to connect the over 2000 job seekers with job opportunities across various sectors.
In the same vein, Olayinka Wasiu, permanent secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment emphasised the fair’s role as a ‘marketplace’ for labour. “The importance of this job fair is to bring the unemployed youth in our society to meet with prospective employers,” he explained.
“The Governor of Lagos State has been doing all he can to ensure that no one is left behind. When they are employed, they will definitely contribute to the economic growth of the state”.
He also noted that the fair helps job seekers understand the criteria for employment and how to leverage their skills and passion.
Stella Osafile, chairperson, committee of wealth creation, Lagost State house of assembly said that the fair will ensure the job seekers know the ‘nitty gritty’ of how they can be employed, how they can leverage on the skills try have acquired.
“It’s a way of bridging the gap between the employer and unemployed”, she said.
Participants expressed optimism about the initiative, with attendees, sharing their hope of securing a job attendee.
Wunmi Owolabi, a participants shared her perspective on the day’s lessons. “One of the things I’ve learned is that you have to be open-minded and you have to network”.
“You have to have a business-minded orientation. I came here to understand how to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers, and to gain insights from different speakers on the job market and how to improve my communication skills”, she said.
