Skip to main content

The Traffic NG

  • info@thetraffic.ng
  • 7 Nasir El Rufai Crescent, Guzape
THE TRAFFIC NG LOGO
THE TRAFFIC NG LOGO
ADVERTISE WITH US
EAPEAN

The Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria (EAPEAN) has asserted that practical vocational and technical skills, rather than academic certificates alone, hold the definitive key to resolving Nigeria’s escalating unemployment crisis.

Addressing stakeholders at the association’s 15th Annual General Meeting held at NECA House in Ikeja, Lagos, EAPEAN President Chief Nzeribe Okegbue urged the federal government and private sector partners to aggressively prioritize skills acquisition, noting that member agencies currently sustain over five million jobs nationwide.

“The job market has evolved beyond paper qualifications. While education provides the foundation, practical skills are what drive productivity and sustained employment in today’s economy,” Okegbue stated.

He pointed out that traditional academic qualifications are no longer sufficient to guarantee livelihoods, given the massive annual influx of tertiary graduates into a shrinking formal white-collar job market.

Advocating for structural integration, Okegbue specifically called for robust skills acquisition frameworks embedded within the National Youth Service Corps scheme to transform young graduates into value-creating entrepreneurs rather than passive job seekers.

Reviewing the association’s trajectory, Okegbue revealed that EAPEAN’s membership expanded from 302 at its previous AGM to 355 corporate entities, with roughly 280 active participants.

He attributed this growth to ongoing internal reforms and heightened recognition of the vital role licensed private employment agencies play in bridging labor gaps.

READ ALSO: FRSC Warns Social Media Distraction Could Trigger Road Crashes

Emphasizing that no single stakeholder can resolve the nation’s unemployment puzzle in isolation, Okegbue called for deeper collaboration between the government, licensed recruiters, and international development partners.

On workers’ welfare, the EAPEAN president reaffirmed the association’s strict commitment to ethical recruitment standards, statutory pensions, social insurance, and labor laws.

He issued a stern warning that member organizations paying below the national minimum wage of N70,000 violate professional codes, though he acknowledged that persistent inflationary pressures continue to stretch workers beyond their financial limits.

Addressing operational challenges, Okegbue decried the proliferation of unlicensed operators, warning that illegal agencies endanger job seekers and compromise industry credibility.

He also highlighted industrial harmony efforts, noting a procedural agreement signed with the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees to streamline dispute resolution.

Representing the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Registrar of Trade Unions, Rabiu Shuaibu, reminded registered bodies that absolute compliance with the Trade Unions Act and organizational constitutions remains a strict legal obligation.

Shuaibu cautioned that regulatory infractions would attract severe penalties, including the potential revocation of registration certificates, while emphasizing that regular financial obligations are mandatory for maintaining valid membership status.

The well-attended annual meeting featured robust goodwill messages from key institutions, including the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, the International Labour Organisation, the International Organisation for Migration, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Labour Congress.

The Traffic NG
EAPEAN
Hibbatullah Shittu
The Traffic NG

Categories

Search
Recent Post
priest
Ecuadorian Priest Dies After Crucifix Falls On
  • October 19, 2026
  • 3 min read
police
Police Arrest Man Over Alleged Rape In
  • October 19, 2026
  • 2 min read
Police
Rivers Police Remove Abuloma DPO Over Cultists’
  • October 19, 2026
  • 3 min read
    Featured Videos
    All Tags
    ADC AFCON Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Aliko Dangote Anthony Joshua APC Atiku Abubakar aviation CBN Court Customs Dangote EFCC FIFA First Lady First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu FRSC Gov. Hope Uzodimma Governor Hope Uzodimma INEC JAMB Lagos Lionel Messi NDLEA Nigeria NSC Nyesom Wike NYSC Oil PDP Peter Obi Police President Bola Ahmed Tinubu President Bola Tinubu Senate Senator Oluremi Tinubu sports Sunday Dare Super Eagles Super Falcons Taiwo Oyedele Troops United Nigeria Airlines Vice President Kashim Shettima Victor Osimhen

    Related Posts

    Afreximbank
    Business
    Afreximbank to Convene 6th AfSNET Investment Conference in Calabar to Mobilize Infrastructure Funding
    United Nigeria Airlines
    Business
    United Nigeria Airlines Plans Pioneer N20bn Commercial Paper Issuance
    aviation
    Business
    Federal Government Inaugurates Oversight Committee to Tackle High Aviation Taxes
    Tesla
    Business
    Tesla Unveils Flying Roadster Prototype with 2028 Production Target

    © 2025. All rights reserved  - Developed by ICS.