The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, in partnership with Jobberman Nigeria and the GIZ SEDEC Cluster, has convened the Abuja Job & Career Fair 2026. The event aims to strengthen connections between talents and employers, improve workforce readiness, and expand access to employment opportunities. The Fair features employer engagements, career counselling, CV reviews, and training sessions on employability and skills development.
The Fair, held under the theme ‘Opportunities, Connections and Impact,’ focuses on expanding access for women, persons with disabilities, and other underserved groups. According to Olamide Adeyeye, Country Head of Programmes at Jobberman Nigeria, the event is about creating connections that lead to employment and giving participants a clearer pathway to dignified and fulfilling work. She noted that physical career fairs remain vital, as many young people still face barriers to online opportunities.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, pledged to expand access to jobs through public job centres and the National Electronic Labour Exchange (NELEX), the ministry’s digital job-matching platform. He identified skills mismatches and weak links between job seekers and employers as key challenges and urged employers to look beyond academic qualifications. The Minister’s remarks underscored the need for innovative approaches to address the unemployment challenge.
The Fair has attracted various stakeholders, including development partners such as the Mastercard Foundation, the European Union (EU), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. These partners have been instrumental in supporting the event, which aims to promote inclusive hiring and expand employment opportunities.
For participant Victory Izevbizua, the Fair delivered on both fronts. She came hoping to meet employers in Customer Service and Data Analytics and met several, but her highlight was a Jobberman career counselling session, where a counsellor reviewed her CV and gave her clear, actionable advice on tailoring it for different roles. The session equipped her with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the job market.
Anomiri Chidozie-Pascal, Founder and CEO of Big Panda Medicare (PandaCare), which is recruiting for various roles, expressed enthusiasm for the talents she met at the Fair. She noted that the job seekers she interacted with were innovative, willing to work, and enthusiastic about what they do. Her organization believes that with such talents, they can change the narrative of healthcare in Nigeria.
The Abuja Job & Career Fair 2026 has made significant progress in its mission to promote inclusive hiring and expand employment opportunities. With the support of various stakeholders, the event has provided a platform for talents to connect with employers and access career counselling, CV reviews, and training sessions. The impact of the Fair is expected to be felt beyond the event, as participants secure jobs and contribute to the growth of the economy.
Key points
- The Fair features employer engagements, career counselling, CV reviews, and training sessions on employability and skills development.
- The event focuses on expanding access for women, persons with disabilities, and other underserved groups.
- Over 150,000 people secured jobs through job fairs, career events, and job centres in the past year.
