Abuja job fair bridges hiring gap, connects thousands to employers

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, with support from the Mastercard Foundation and in partnership with Jobberman Nigeria and the GIZ SEDEC Cluster, hosted the Abuja Job and Career Fair 2026 to bridge the gap between jobseekers and employers, enhance workforce readiness, and expand equitable employment opportunities across Nigeria.

​Held under the theme: “Opportunities, Connections, and Impact,” the Fair provided a comprehensive platform featuring employer engagements, career counseling, tailored CV reviews, and practical skills training. A primary focus was placed on expanding employment access for women, persons with disabilities, and underserved communities.

​“The Abuja Job and Career Fair is about more than bringing talents and employers into one space. It is about creating connections that lead to employment and giving participants a clearer pathway to dignified and fulfilling work,” said Olamide Adeyeye, Country Head of Programmes at Jobberman Nigeria.

​Adeyeye emphasised that in-person career fairs remain essential, as many young Nigerians still face digital access barriers. He highlighted that over 150,000 individuals secured employment through physical job fairs, career events, and job centers over the past year.

​Officially opening the event, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, pledged to expand job access through public job centers and the National Electronic Labour Exchange (NELEX), the Ministry’s digital matching platform. Identifying skills mismatches and weak employer-seeker connections as core economic challenges, Dr. Dingyadi urged employers to look beyond formal academic qualifications when evaluating talent.

​Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of Dr. Markus Wagner, Country Director for GIZ Nigeria and ECOWAS, Oladoyin Olawaiye noted that GIZ and the Ministry have established 11 job centers across five states through the Skills Development for Youth Programme. These centers have served over 65,000 individuals to date, more than half of whom are women.

​For attendees, the Fair yielded immediate value. Participant Victory Izevbizua shared that while she arrived hoping to connect with companies in Customer Service and Data Analytics, her standout experience was a personalized career counseling session with Jobberman, where an advisor reviewed her CV and offered actionable guidance on tailoring it for target roles.

​Employers echoed equal enthusiasm regarding the caliber of attendees. “The jobseekers I have met here are innovative, willing to work, and enthusiastic about what they do. With talent like this, we believe we can change the narrative of healthcare in Nigeria,” said Anomiri Chidozie-Pascal, Founder and CEO of Big Panda Medicare (PandaCare), which recruited for administrative, public health, data analysis, and digital marketing roles during the event.

​The Fair was supported by the Mastercard Foundation through its Young Africa Works Programme, alongside international development partners including the European Union (EU), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmar

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