By Chinenye Anuforo
In a collaborative effort to combat fake job offers and empower Nigerian youth, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) joined forces with QNET, a global lifestyle and wellness-focused direct-selling company. This partnership aims to equip young Nigerians with the necessary skills to navigate the job market safely and avoid fraudulent activities.
The partnership brings QNET’s ongoing “Say No!” awareness campaign to a new level. The initiative provided young Nigerians with essential skills for success in the competitive job market. Held in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the two-day training program equips participants with the knowledge to recognize and avoid fraudulent job offers, a significant concern with the country’s high unemployment rate.
At the invitation of FMLE, Biram Fall, QNET’s Regional General Manager, addressed participants on recognizing and avoiding fake job scams. He highlighted the importance of robust training and education programs in creating a competent workforce, stating, ” Investing in our youth is crucial. By empowering them with the tools to identify fraudulent activities, we are protecting them from financial loss and boosting their employability.”
Fall further emphasized the challenges QNET faces in Nigeria and other West African countries, where criminals exploit the company’s name to lure young people into fake job offers. He outlined QNET’s commitment to combatting this through extensive public education programs, including the “Say No!” campaign.
Miss Augustina Uka, Senior Labour Officer at FMLE, reinforced the Ministry’s commitment to youth empowerment. “We are dedicated to enhancing the employability of young Nigerians,” she stated. “Our initiatives like the National Electronic Labor Exchange (NELEX) provide a robust database of employable manpower, facilitating job exchange and labor mobility.”
Uka highlighted the collaboration’s significance, acknowledging QNET’s efforts through the “Say No!” campaign to educate youth about fake job offers. “We at FMLE see QNET as a valuable partner in delivering on our mandate of job creation and economic growth,” she added.
Akam Comfort Dufang, a participant in the training program, shared her experience: “The program taught valuable skills for employability and entrepreneurship, but most importantly, it helped me identify available job opportunities and recognize fake job offers. Before this program, I mistakenly believed QNET was a fraudulent company. Hearing from a QNET representative about their efforts against misinformation was truly eye-opening.”
Another participant shared his close call with a job scam. He was offered a high salary but pressured to pay an upfront fee. Thankfully, news of the scammer’s arrest prevented him from losing his laptop, which he intended to sell to pay the fee. “This program’s knowledge is invaluable,” he expressed.
QNET remains committed to making a positive social impact by supporting training initiatives like FMLE’s. Over the past two years, QNET’s FinGreen financial literacy program has equipped over 1,350 Nigerian youth with essential skills for financial independence. Additionally, QNET collaborates with agencies like the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) to raise awareness about the dangers of fake job offers and human trafficking.