By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

Nigeria’s workforce challenge is not a lack of talent but a shortage of pathways that can transform talent into commercially relevant skills, Country Director of HP Nigeria, Emmanuel Eze, has said.

Eze noted that millions of young Nigerians enter the labour market increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, digital platforms and the creative economy every year, yet employers continue to struggle to find candidates with practical, job-ready skills.

According to him, countries making significant economic progress are not necessarily producing more graduates but are developing adaptable workers who combine technical expertise with problem-solving, collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

He stressed that investments in digital skills, creative capabilities and technology-enabled learning have become critical for preparing young people for emerging industries and future employment opportunities.

Eze argued that gaming, often viewed merely as entertainment, should be recognised as a powerful platform for skills development because it combines coding, storytelling, design, animation, artificial intelligence and product development.

He said HP’s recent launch of the Gaming Garage and Creators’ Garage at Skyline University in Kano was aimed at creating stronger links between education and industry, while equipping students with practical skills required in the digital economy.

He warned that Nigeria’s youthful population alone does not constitute a competitive advantage, noting that demographic strength only becomes valuable when supported by employable skills, infrastructure, market access and institutions capable of developing talent at scale.

He also criticised what he described as an outdated education model that often prioritises theory over application, credentials over competence and academic silos over industry relevance, leaving many graduates unprepared for workplace demands.

Eze further observed that the distinction between the technology-driven intelligence economy and the creative economy is rapidly disappearing, with artificial intelligence, cloud computing, gaming, animation and digital media increasingly forming a single growth ecosystem.

While commending initiatives such as HP Gaming Garage for exposing students to industry-relevant tools and opportunities, he maintained that Nigeria requires broader and more deliberate collaboration among universities, businesses and policymakers to create sustainable pathways from education to employment, creativity to commerce, and talent to opportunity.