The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned that a lack of skilled local talent could slow the growth of the nation’s booming telecoms sector.
At a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos on Tuesday, with the theme, Bridging The Telecom Value Chain Skill Gaps, NCC said that despite two decades of remarkable expansion, the industry is facing a dangerous shortfall of digital skills.
Dr. Aminu Maida, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, said that since the liberalisation of the sector in 2001, telecoms had generated over 500,000 jobs and transformed Nigeria’s economy. Yet, “the industry still struggles with digital skills deficit that threatens the sector’s gains,” he warned.
Maida, represented by Executive Commissioner Abraham Oshadami, pointed to studies such as the 2024 ITU assessment of Nigeria’s digital economy.
Findings revealed that while employers require about 30% of advanced digital skills, only 11% of employed workers currently possess them.
The NCC boss listed critical roles already in high demand, including desktop technicians, data analysts, software developers, ICT engineers, and data scientists. He noted that “27 per cent of these roles are already hard to fill, and 29 per cent more will be required within the next five years.”
Industry Voices Call for Hands-On Skills
Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), stressed the industry’s shortage of practical, ground-level skills.
“We are producing many high-end skills in Artificial Intelligence and advanced technologies, but we do not have enough ‘foot soldiers’… These skills may seem basic or mundane, but they are critical,” Adebayo said.
He suggested that the Digital Bridge Institute, with campuses across Nigeria, should expand its curriculum to focus on technical skills training.
He also encouraged private operators to sponsor campuses, offer scholarships, and guarantee jobs, similar to how global companies once sustained training pipelines for manufacturing.
Panellists at the forum called for training and retraining programmes, alongside government incentives to retain skilled personnel.
Without urgent measures, they say, Nigeria risks losing trained talent to better opportunities abroad, a trend already affecting the IT and fintech industries.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment💬, share this article and Follow us on our social media handles. You can also Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
