ROAM Africa, one of Sub-Sahara’s leading market places has recently acquired Nigerian tech startup, NGCareers Jobbermans, to increase transparency and ease of access to employment opportunities in Nigeria that in a recent interview Clemens Weitz, CEO of ROAM Africa, commented on the importance of this acquisition for Nigeria. Jobberman joins several other recruitment solutions platforms in Africa, including Brightermonday in East Africa with a focus on Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda
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“It is really exciting news, especially good for Nigerian job seekers. The acquisition of NGcareers makes it easier for us to expand and widen the reach of Jobberman Nigeria, ensuring more opportunities for job seekers. This acquisition combines two of Nigeria’s biggest online job platforms in Nigeria, effectively creating the largest careers platform in Africa’s most populous country.”
The main goal of the acquisition is to become the largest career platform in Nigeria, offering a wider reach and providing more solutions for job seekers.
“The acquisition will further consolidate the Nigerian job market with the aim to be the ultimate destination for job seekers in Nigeria with a focus on growth and ambitious innovation. Together, we will be reaching more than one tons every month,” adds Weitz.
ROAM Africa was impressed with the 10-year track record of NGCareers Jobberman’s innovative organic and search engine marketing tools.
Nigeria’s employment rate
According to Weitz, the most recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics has indicated that the unemployment rate in Nigeria within the second quarter of 2020 is 27%. The level of underemployment reportedly is at 29% which means that more than half of Nigeria’s population are “are either not making full use of the skills and abilities or out of work entirely.”
Weitz adds that this must be addressed in order to turn around Africa’s largest economy.
“In Africa’s largest economy, this is not a sustainable position. More needs to be done to make it easier for individuals to connect with opportunities that could change their lives and for businesses to take full advantage of the human resources available to them. We need solutions at scale, and technology can deliver that. We’re doing our part by improving it “from the top”, i.e. making better hiring decisions and more productive organizations.”
Tackling the challenge
Weitz believes that employing technological insight and data in the recruitment process can improve the overall employment rate in Nigeria, contributing to developing the existing traditional African recruitment model.
“Our data shows that the way most African employers hire is very intransparent, and way too rarely good data is being used. A significant proportion of the recruitment process still happens offline, which makes it difficult to apply data-driven insights to the recruitment process. That leads to bad or mediocre hiring decisions.”
This can be attributed to the disconnect between labour demand and supply, this impacts jobseeker’s ability to find employment and hinders employers access to the talent they require.
“Technology has much more to offer beyond providing a platform for posting jobs digitally. It can enable actionable and personalised insights that can transform the recruitment process, and create much better teams and workforces for employers,” adds Weitz.
The importance of tech startups
According to reports, Africa is on course to have a workforce of 450-million people by 2035, SMEs and startups form an integral part of providing job creation and support in Africa. Weitz expresses that tech startups are integral to job creation in Africa.
“Whenever I am on the streets of Nairobi, Lagos, or Dakar, I see proof that African entrepreneurship is the future. And technology is the catalyst for scale. With the predicted population boom, tech-enabled solutions offer the most effective and efficient ways to address many of the challenges facing the continent. So, innovators and entrepreneurs across Africa are the vanguards of a new age, with great ideas and visions that will transform the continent and improve livelihoods.”
ROAM Africa
Founded in 2017, ROAM Africa aim is to become Sub-Sahara’s largest online marketplace company. Weitz explains that ROAM Africa is focused on enhancing the job and career sector.
“‘Specifically, in Jobs and Careers, we are on a mission to tackle the growing disconnect between labour demand and supply with scalable technology. We aim to transform lives, companies, and the economy of the continent by democratising access to opportunities.
