By Yemisi Suleiman 

Jobberman Nigeria, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has called for inclusive hiring practices and improved workplace performance across Nigeria following the Lagos edition of its HR Fusion programme.

Held last weekend, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the event was themed “The Power of HER: Advancing Inclusive Hiring and Workplace Performance.” It convened HR leaders, business executives, recruiters, and gender inclusion advocates to move conversations from policy to practical implementation.

Head of Programmes and Country Manager, Jobberman Nigeria, Olamide Adeyeye, said the organisation recognised its responsibility as an ecosystem shaper in influencing how employment opportunities evolve for young Nigerians.

“We have a huge responsibility as an ecosystem shaper to provide direction and learning for the ecosystem, such that we can shape the present and future of what matching and employment opportunities look like for young people,” Adeyeye said.

He stressed the importance of building a youth-centric workforce supported by flexible work structures in response to global shifts in work patterns.

Adeyeye explained that inclusive hiring remains central to Jobberman’s strategy, highlighting historically marginalised groups, including young people, young women, persons with disabilities, and internally displaced persons. He emphasised that Nigeria’s youthful population, over 70 percent, makes inclusive systems non-negotiable.

“Research has shown repeatedly that organisations that are more inclusive in their hiring, have better economic and business outcomes,” he added, calling for systemic recruitment reforms, demand-led talent pipelines, and deliberate gender inclusion policies.

Head of Operations at Jobberman Nigeria, Samantha Ifezuluike, urged organisations to move beyond tokenism and adopt measurable, intentional inclusion strategies.

“It should not be a check-in-the-box approach. Be very intentional about how you hire and how you support women through structured performance management, mentorship, and sponsorship,” she said. She further encouraged employers to rely on data-driven decision-making to inform inclusion efforts.

Participants described the event as timely and impactful. Operations Manager at Tash X @Filmhouse, Doyinsola Farayola, pledged to adopt a more structured hiring approach, while Lead, Project and Strategic Initiatives at PricePally, Benjamin Ogunbola, emphasised aligning inclusion with productivity and implementation rather than policy documentation..

The HR Fusion programme forms part of Jobberman Nigeria’s broader partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to strengthen inclusive employment systems and reinforce its role in shaping the future of work in Nigeria.