Use technology to tackle unemployment, Jumia Nigeria’s CEO tells govt

The chief executive officer of Jumia Nigeria, Juliet Anammah, has urged both federal and state governments to utilise technology to tackle unending unemployment in the country, as it strives to manage its huge population for productive economy.

She gave the charge while speaking as a panel member at the 25th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja which dissected the topic on demography: “Nigeria in 2050: boom or bust”, alongside the founder of the Kukah Centre, Bishop Mathew Kukah; Governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

According to her, there is a need for policies that support micro industries in order to tackle unemployment.

“We need policies that support micro industries. We have millions of people under-employed today. How do we tackle it?” she asked.

Anammah continued: “Providing unemployed youths with enabled Internet smartphones is one infrastructure that could take millions out of unemployment.”

Also speaking, Emir Sanusi said Nigeria’s huge population is a liability and not assets. He attributed the negative vices ravaging the country to its huge, uneducated population, adding that the nation’s huge population is yet to be converted to productive use.

It would be recalled that the focus of the panel session was on how Nigeria’s demographic realities can be transformed into social and business opportunities, as panellists discussed its implications on internal migration and threats to sustainable peace and security.