The harsh reality of Nigeria’s job market today
Over 23 million Nigerians are either unemployed or underemployed.
Around 92 per cent of workers operate within the informal sector, meaning there are no verifiable records of their employment history.
In addition, approximately 70 per cent of CVs are unverifiable, leaving businesses uncertain about who they are hiring and job seekers vulnerable to exploitation.
Fraudulent recruitment agents have been known to demand up to half of a jobseeker’s first salary in exchange for employment opportunities.
In the most tragic cases, such as that of Iniobong Umoren, fake job interviews have resulted in the loss of life.
Read also::Nigeria’s faulty education system, others fuel youth unemployment— NESG
Across Nigeria and much of Africa, jobseekers face dangers that extend far beyond unemployment. Fake job offers, exploitative agents, scams, and unverified interviews continue to place millions of young people at risk. And for every widely publicised case, there are countless others that go unreported.
Employers are also affected. Many businesses lose significant sums through high staff turnover, rehiring costs, and unreliable vendors.
In sectors such as hospitality, the average restaurant in Nigeria replaces nearly a third of its staff every six months. What appears to be inefficiency is, in reality, a systemic failure.
Read also: How NJFP is tackling youth unemployment
Why traditional recruitment tools are no longer enough
For decades, recruitment across Nigeria and Africa has relied on CVs, reference letters, and spreadsheets. CVs can be forged within minutes, and reference letters are rarely verified. Manual record keeping also fails to scale in a country with over 84 million people in the labour force.
Such outdated methods not only slow recruitment processes but also heighten risk.
Fake job interviews, misleading advertisements, and manipulative ‘career seminars’ are now part of the experience for many graduates. The desperation to secure employment has left many vulnerable to fraud and even physical danger.
Exploitative HR and recruitment practices
Many Nigerian jobseekers face exploitation even before securing work, often forced to pay for application forms, surrender part of their salaries, or cover agency fees charged to both them and employers, practices that are widespread, unethical, and target the most vulnerable.
Weak background verification
Even with national identification systems such as the National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN), background checks remain inconsistent and unreliable. Many employers still rely on informal phone calls to verify candidates’ histories, a process prone to bias and misinformation.
In addition, workplace culture often discourages open verification. Many employers hesitate to issue reference letters, fearing it may indicate that an employee intends to resign. Employment is frequently treated as ownership, with loyalty demanded and mobility punished. This culture erodes trust between employers and employees, reinforcing a system of mutual suspicion.
Employee manipulation and job hopping
The lack of trust affects both sides. Some employees have responded by manipulating their employment records, inflating roles or omitting past jobs to conceal difficult exits. Others move frequently between positions, driven by dissatisfaction and a lack of stability within the labour market. What appears to be inconsistency is, in many cases, a reflection of survival in a flawed system.
Fake CVs: A hidden crisis
Another growing issue is the spread of falsified CVs. Employers often encounter applicants who claim to have held positions or worked for companies that have no record of them.
The root cause: Lack of data and structure
At the heart of these challenges lies one fundamental problem. Without verifiable data, employers continue to make poor hiring decisions, while jobseekers remain unprotected from fraud and exploitation. High turnover rates persist, and the cycle of distrust deepens.
A sustainable solution requires a coordinated, transparent system that records and validates employment history, ensuring fairness and accountability across the labour market. Only then can both employers and jobseekers operate within an ecosystem built on trust rather than survival.
