Key Takeaways
- Technological disruption, geoeconomic fragmentation, demographic shifts and the green transition – and economic uncertainty have continued to influence the global market since 2021.
- Upskilling and reskilling for the fastest-growing jobs like Big Data Specialists, Fintech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Software and Application Developers and Green and energy transition roles.
- Talents should leverage training programs like employability, talent development and soft skills trainings offered by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund to enhance their competitiveness.
- Improved public and organisational investment in human capital development is crucial to economic development.
Introduction
The Future of Jobs Report 2025 published by the World Economic Forum shows that 170 million jobs are projected to be created, 92 million to be displaced, while 1.09 billion will continue in an evolving labour market over the next five years. These findings were based on a comprehensive survey conducted on over 1000 large enterprises (employers of at least 500 employees) across 55 economies.
Since the start of the post-COVID era, the global labour market is being shaped by megatrends - Technological disruption, geoeconomic fragmentation, demographic shifts and the green transition – and economic uncertainty. This trend is expected to continue through 2030, with a clear signal to stakeholders – employers, jobseekers, and governments – to adjust to avoid setbacks and manage disruptions efficiently. This article explores the Future of Jobs Report 2025, providing implications for stakeholders in the Nigeria and Lagos context.
Fastest-Growing Jobs and In-Demand Skills – The Global Landscape
In the global terrain, Big Data Specialists, Fintech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Software and Application Developers. Green and energy transition roles, including Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Specialists, Environmental Engineers, and Renewable Energy Engineers, also feature within the top fastest-growing roles.
Contrarily, as previously reported in the 2023 Report, jobs like cashier ticket clerks, administrative assistants, postal service clerks, bank tellers and data entry clerks are among the largest declines in the global scene.
Analytical thinking, AI and big data, networks and cybersecurity, and technology literacy are the core technology-related skills ranked highest by global employers. Meanwhile, creative thinking, resilience, flexibility, agility, curiosity and lifelong learning are to remain of great importance through the period. This indicates pointers to areas for upskilling and reskilling consideration to talents aiming for roles in the global market. On the other hand, manual dexterity, endurance and precision are noticeable for their declines.
Fastest-Growing Jobs and In-Demand Skills – The Nigeria Context
Although a key supplier of talents to the global space, the Nigerian context has peculiarities in the labour market landscape with some similarities to the global scene. This is reflective in the realities of broadening digital penetration, increased attention and efforts on climate change, rising cost of living, that are driving the business environment in the country.
In terms of jobs, AI and Machine Leaning Specialists, data analysts and scientists, and sustainability specialists are the top three roles with highest net growth of 82%, 41% and 33%, respectively.
Meanwhile, as the development of digital jobs continue to expand, network and cybersecurity skills top the priority of employers with 87% of the sampled employers in Nigeria indicating its fastest growing nature, compared to the global average of 70%. These are followed by adeptness in AI and big data skills and system thinking, service orientation, customer service, and global citizenship – all higher than the average global demand.
Notably, increased public-sector funding for reskilling and upskilling programmes was advocated for by 73% of the sampled employers, while 40% of same affirmed the need for improved transport services and infrastructure to support talent availability.
Barriers to Organisation Transformation
In Nigeria, barriers such as skill gaps in the labour market (65%), inability to attract talent to industries (50%), organisation culture and resistance to change (50%, inflexible regulatory framework (35%) and limited investment capital (35%) remain crucial factors to be resolved to enhance talent attraction, retention and business transformation.
Implication for Lagos State and Nigeria
- Global and local expansion of remote roles requires upskilling and reskilling for the fastest-growing jobs like Big Data Specialists, Fintech Engineers, AI and Machine Learning Specialists and Software and Application Developers and Green and energy transition roles.
- Acquisition of skills through training programs like employability, talent development and soft skills trainings offered by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund can provide a leverage to talents in the competitive labour market.
- Improved public sector funding for upskilling and reskilling through the empowerment of institutions such as the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and educational and training establishments is crucial to maintain a pool of employable talents in Nigeria.
- Organisations should commit to human capital investment by providing upskilling and reskilling opportunities to their employees, while strengthening their cultural and change management strategies.
Conclusion
Technological disruptions, green transitions, demographic trend and economic uncertainty have continued to influence the labour market at different levels. Ensuring that talents maintain skills and expertise that are market-driven is essential, and requisite stakeholders need to embrace these realities. Although these are skills and job outlooks for the next five years by large enterprises, insights into nuanced labour demand landscape in Lagos State can be obtained through the Lagos State Labour Market Information System. To stay updated with upskilling and reskilling opportunities with LSETF, sign up for our newsletter.
