THE CHANGING NATURE OF WORK AND HOW NIGERIA MUST PREPARE

The nature of work is changing, and we must be prepared to change with it. We cannot afford to be caught off-guard, we must be like the proverbial bird in Igbo traditional folklore who said that “since men have learnt to shoot without missing, he too has learnt to fly without perching” this is an allusion to the fact that technology is constantly changing, and we must be ready to change with it.

In the last five decades or so, we have moved from the introduction of Automated Teller Machines (ATM), to drone technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Quantum technology and space shuttle services.

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The changing nature of work simply means that firms can increase productivity with improved and more efficient technology, this improved technology means that old boundaries are shifted and traditional production methods are abandoned and firms can also find it far easier to reach a larger number of people.

This changing nature of work also means that workers need to acquire new skills; they need to be better at solving problems using creativity, teamwork, innovation, critical thinking and overall adaptability.

This brings us to the question of what Nigeria as a country can do to prepare for the future of work. This is a very fundamental question that every developing country that is serious about her future must begin to look for answers to. It has been estimated that about 65 per cent of children starting school today are going to be in jobs in the future that don't exist now (1).

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The World Bank after extensive research has come up with the Human Capital Index (HCI), which shows the contribution of Health and Education to human capital, it shows countries how much income they are losing due to gaps in human capital and how much they stand to gain by adjusting those gaps. In their assessment, any country serious about the welfare and employment prospects of its people must first ensure their survival both as infants and adults ensure provision of adequate healthcare to see that they are productive and provide quality education. According to the World Bank, many children enrolled in school in Africa do not learn enough, especially in mathematics.

The Nigerian government should as a matter of urgent national importance make significant improvements in its annual budgetary allocation to the education sector. The 620.5billion Naira(2) allocated to the sector in the 2019 budget still falls short of the UNESCO recommendation of 15-20% for developing counties. Concerted efforts should also be made in the area of ICT education, this is necessary because according to a study by Accenture, roles requiring digital skills will grow by 12% in 2024(3).

There is no gain saying that for Nigerians to be prepared for the future of work, we first have to survive and lead a healthy life. In the face of prevalent stunting in children between the ages of 0-5, serious measures need to be put in place by the ministries of Health and Women Affairs to check that pregnant women and new born babies have access to quality and affordable healthcare services. It doesn’t end there, this quality and affordable healthcare should also be available all through adulthood. Studies abound on the positive relationship between good health and workplace productivity.

To conclude, serious efforts must also be made in the area of awareness creation. The young ones preparing to enter the world of work must become aware that it is changing, and must take vital steps to be ready for that change. The government must put adequate social protection measures in place to see that our workforce is adequately prepared to embrace the new nature of work. This is important for us and other countries, faced with similar economic problems and prospects, otherwise we might not lose the ‘developing countries’ tag for ages to come.

(1) World Economic Forum, The Future of Jobs, Chapter 1 - The Future of Jobs and Skills.

(2) The figure for Government allocation to the Education sector in the 2019 budget was obtained from the Punch online newspaper publication of January 4th.

(3) 'New Skills Now : Inclusion in the Digital Economy’. accenture.com/NewSkillsNow