THE FUTURE OF WORK AND WORKPLACE: A LOOMING CRISIS?
GEN Z/ JAPA/ ROBOTICS/AI/IoT
As the nature of work undergoes rapid and disruptive transformation, the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) hosted its June 2025 Breakfast Meeting in Lagos, bringing together policymakers, human resource experts, and mental health advocates to explore the challenges and possibilities of the future workforce.
With the theme: “The Future of Work and Workplace: A Looming Crisis?”, served as a strategic platform for shaping how businesses and institutions across Africa respond to global workforce trends — from automation and migration to Gen Z culture and emotional wellbeing.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Ije Jidenma, Chairperson of the NSACC, gave the thrust of the conference with a grounded conversation for urgency and responsibility.
According to her, the topic was not just timely, she noted that “Across Africa and the globe, we are witnessing seismic shifts in how, where, and why we work. If we don’t build humane and adaptive workplaces, the crisis will be cultural, not just economic.”
As a result, she identified four critical pillars of concern which cannot be underplayed. These pillars are: (i) Technological Displacement: with AI and automation evolving faster than education systems can reskill; (ii) Youth Unemployment and Skills Mismatch: with over 500,000 Nigerian graduates entering a market not prepared for them; (iii) Workplace Evolution: hybrid work is here to stay, but infrastructure remains weak, and (iv) Mental Health and Workforce Wellbeing: burnout and disengagement now silently undermine productivity.
Jidenma challenged African leaders to invest more aggressively in people rather than maximization of profits, stressing that we should design a workspaces that include, resilient and future-ready.
In his keynote address, Dr. Tunde Ayeye, Group Managing Director of International Facilities Services (IFS) Group, painted a vivid picture of the challenges organizations now face which he referred to as “triple threat.”
While explaining the “triple-threat” he observed that the “Japa” Movement has led to mass emigration of skilled Nigerian professionals;
Also he said that Automation Displacement through which roles are disappearing faster than retraining can keep up, and Generational Workplace Disruption in which traditional values are clashing with digital-native expectations.
He added that the future of work is no longer theoretical but it is already here, warning that “From SMEs to multinationals, everyone is breeding talent, and the competition for human capital is fiercer than ever,” Ayeye emphasized.
Renowned Executive Coach and leadership expert, Fela Durotoye redefined the conversation, urging companies to stop operating like temporary enterprises and start building institutions designed to outlive their founders.“This is a relay — not a sprint. You don’t pass the baton to someone unprepared, and you don’t cling to it when it’s time to let go,” he said during a live metaphorical demonstration.
From the mental health perspectives, Dr. Adeoye Oyewole, psychiatrist and life coach, give a personal insight and a deeply philosophical exploration of the “Japa” phenomenon.
He explained that “What looks like a job search is often a search for relevance. Young people are leaving not just for greener pastures, but to avoid being left behind.”
He warned that mass migration is increasingly driven by fear, herd mentality, and existential insecurity, rather than economic opportunity alone.
Tagging it “community neurosis”, he called on families, schools, and institutions to act as stabilizing forces that offer clarity, emotional resilience, and guidance in a world where traditional support systems are eroding. He emphasized that when young people lack a strong sense of identity and structured mentorship, they become vulnerable to anxiety-driven decisions masked as ambition.
From the Corporate frontline, Mrs. Adebimpe Ayo-Elias, Director of Human Resources (HR) at Airtel Nigeria, offered a compelling view on how HR is transforming from a compliance-centered function to a strategic enabler of organizational value.
“We’ve moved beyond personnel administration. Today, we’re managing human capital — unlocking people’s potential in a highly digital, fast-changing world,” she reiterated.
Ayo-Elias stressed that adaptability, emotional intelligence, creativity, and resilience are now more critical than paper qualifications.
She warned that many companies are still stuck in outdated metrics, ignoring the skills that matter in hybrid and AI-driven environments.
On his part, a seasoned tech and academia, Dr. Yele Okeremi, CEO of Precise Financial Systems and Associate Professor, addressed the double-edged nature of technology in the future of work.
He explained how companies are investing heavily in automation and digital infrastructure without paying equal attention to digital literacy and change management among staff.
He advocated for intentional workforce re-skilling — not just for tech teams, but across the board — to ensure that every employee can contribute meaningfully in a tech-augmented workspace.
He also cautioned against over-reliance on imported digital solutions, urging Nigerian companies to build local capacity for sustainability, data sovereignty, and relevance.
“Africa must not only consume innovation; we must begin to define it,” he concluded.
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