By Emeka Aginam

While unemployment rate continues to grow at alarming proportions in the Nigerian market and rest of the world, over 500 Nigerian graduates appear  to have been gainfully employed in the largest African ICT market, popularly called the Computer Village, Ikeja, CyberLIFE findings reveal.

Many of these graduates, according to findings, occupy  strategic positions as managers, marketing officers, personal assistants, accountants and many more.

Though  secondary school leavers who are still seeking admission into higher institutions are part of those employed in the computer village, a close monitoring of the market last week by CyberLIFE showed that many of these graduates now see the Computer Village as a good alternative.

Before now, the point of concern though,  was if the financial benefits of  working for some big ICT vendors in the said market  is convincing enough for being employed .

But one very important thing good to these graduates who can compete favorably with their peers in either Oil and Gas or banking sector, according to investigations,  is that apart from economic reason of being in an  employment, they gain IT skills and knowledge and even marketing skills necessary to  face the challenge of 21st century knowledge economy.

Apart from those employed with major ICT vendors  in the  Computer Village like IT World Limited, Tripplesea, WestGate, Gafunk Computers, Slot, Balog Technologies, Capitol, among others, further finding revealed that some of these graduates are also self-employed in many areas including software engineering, GSM engineering, and others  who engage also  in computer cloning. Meanwhile, some  graduates working in  the market who spoke to Vanguard CyberLIFE noted that there is nothing socially or economically degrading working in  the largest ICT market.

“But everybody cannot work in bank or oil sector including telecom sector. I am  a graduate. I have worked for IT World Limited for a good number of years. The important thing is job satisfaction and ability to pay bills at any point in time. It does matter which sector you work. As long as you have a paid job, that is the bottom-line,” a staff of IT World Limited, (name withheld) a major vendor in digital photography told CyberLIFE.

According to the young man  who claimed that he is economically fine working for IT World,  majority of graduates who work in the computer Village have the capacity to do what their mates working in other sectors can do. That is the apparent truth. You may or may not believe it, he said.

Similarly, a young lady,  working  for Slot Systems, a GSM handset vendor noted with optimism the Computer Village has provided jobs for many Nigerian young graduates. “Do not assess the market the way it is located. As I speak, this market has employed over 500 Nigerian graduates. I am not talking of  those working in banks located inside this market; I mean those employed by major ICT vendors including Slot that has been leading in original GSM handsets.”

“I am a fulfilled young lady. I have  acquired a lot IT skills and knowledge required to face the knowledge economy. It is a thing of joy working for Slot. It is not mandatory  that one must work in bank or oil sector to earn a living. This is one thing Nigerian graduates must  know. Young people must not limit their career line to telecom, oil gas sector which many see as the highest paying sector” the young lady who is full of life said.

However, beyond providing jobs for many Nigerians, the Computer Village has been the toast of many computer pundits who are cash trapped as a result of good bargains on offer. The market has  grown into an important phenomenon in Nigerian market that no ICT enthusiasts can ignore.