A short presentation on the threats posed by technological disruptions to traditional jobs in developing economies like Nigeria’s, and how workers in various affected sectors can adapt and flourish in the emerging economy.

1. Harnessing Opportunities for Young People
in Nigeria in a Fast-Changing World:
The Future of Work (#fow)
Idowu Kunlere

2. Since the industrial revolution,
the world has tremendously
grown in technological
capabilities, and in the
process, creating the greatest
number of jobs in the history
of the earth.
This diagram represents what
we know traditional jobs to
be.
But this status quo is now
under immense threat.

3. With the 5th industrial revolution on the
horizon, today’s global market and
workplace have been undergoing
tremendous shifts. Advanced technologies
are enabling companies to innovate,
automate, reduce production time, ensure
better utilization of resources, achieve
greater productivity, better precision and
connectivity.
But all of these improvements and
landmarks appear to be at a cost to
humans.
For example, human jobs seem to be
under threat!

4. • Will robots take your job?
• This is a million dollar question with huge
implications for the world.
• This is creating serious debates like it did
in 1589 when Queen Elizabeth I of
England raised objections to when
clergyman, William Lee, applied for a
royal patent for a knitting machine.
• Today, people fear that robots would
replace them.

5. Ongoing technological disruptions pose
great risks to emerging economies where
informal employment make up 70% in
Sub-Saharan Africa, 60 % in South Asia,
over 50 % in Latin America. in India, over
90% jobs are in the informal sector.
Ironically, according to the World Bank,
by 2050, Sub-Saharan Africa would be the
fastest growing region, population-wise,
in the world. Already, Nigeria has one of
the youngest populations in the world.
So, on the one hand,
Africa’s population is
rapidly growing; on the
other hand, jobs are
intensely under threat of
extinction.

7. Yes, robots are replacing
workers, but that is not
the only truth.
As technology displaces
workers in particular
sectors, it creates new
jobs in other sectors.

8. Between 1999-2016,
over 23 million new
jobs (over 50% of
total new jobs) were
created by
technological change.
For example, at JD Finance, a fintech
company in China, while the number of
traditional loan officers depleted, new
jobs were created in areas like risk
management, data analysis etc.

9. So, the truth is that there
will continue to be jobs –
just that they will be
mostly new kinds of jobs.
Or old jobs but done in
new ways and requiring
new skills.

10. Credit: Wenhui News, and World Bank
Job vacancy in 1986
vs. in 2018
Note:
The vacancies in
the image are for
almost the same
kind of jobs but
with starkly
different
requirements.

11. … Technology is changing how people work and the
terms under which they work. Instead of the once
standard long-term contracts, digital technologies are
giving rise to more short-term work, often via online
work platforms. These so-called gigs make certain kinds
of work more accessible on a more flexible basis. More
widespread access to digital infrastructure - via laptops,
tablets, and smartphones - provides an enabling
environment in which on-demand services can thrive.
Source:
World Bank’s “World Development Report 2019”

12. How can humans stage a comeback and
remain competitive?
• Innovate
• Unlearn, relearn and keep learning.
• Master new skills, including
sociobehavourial skills
• Make yourself hard to replace.
• Huge investments in human capital are
needed.
In the face of the changing nature of
work, progress also needs to be
made in redefining the formal–
informal worker divide to make
transition seamless.

13. Conclusion
There is urgent need to identify those
whose jobs are most threatened by
technology and suitable retooling
programs drawn up for them and
followed through.
Empower, train and retain
transformational workers, inventors and
entrepreneurs, especially those with
high talents and low incomes and those
The right policies, frameworks,
motivations and environments are
needed to stimulate to help workers
remain competitive and adaptable in
the unfolding economy.

14. References
1. Choi, J., Dutz, M. and Usman, Z.
2019. The Future of Work. In Africa:
Harnessing the Potential of Digital
Technologies for All (A Companion to
the World Development Report 2019
on the Changing Nature of Work),
World Bank Group.
2. The Changing Nature of Work. 2019.
World Development Report 2019. The
World Bank Group, Washington.