Nigeria boasts a population of approximately 200 million with about 70% of the population under 30, and 42% under the age of 15.
Despite this, the correlation between investment in human capital and the country’s economic growth and development has not yielded substantial results.
This is partly due to unemployment, poverty, and insecurity. Of course, this social and economic situation makes migration attractive to young people.
However, a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers highlights Nigeria’s significant Brain Capital advantage, with a large youthful population averaging 19 years old.
This demographic stands in contrast to the ageing populations observed in countries such as Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United States, where it’s projected that the worldwide working-age population will experience a 10% decline by 2060.
Nigeria has already demonstrated prowess across various service sectors, including entertainment and sports, showcasing talent capable of competing and excelling in the global market.
At the forefront of this dynamic industry are core professionals adept at identifying and nurturing talent, building experience and boosting portfolios to compete not only locally but on the international job market.
In the tradition of Nairametrics, we spotlight some influential female human capital professionals within various industries based on their experience and companies in their career portfolios.
Oyinade Kuku is the Head of Human Resources at FBN Holdings Plc, where she oversees the company’s Human Resource Strategy and People Agenda.
With over 16 years of experience in Strategic Human Resource Management across the Financial Services, Consulting, and Oil & Gas sectors, Oyinade is an expert in HR Strategy & Analytics, Organizational Design & Transformation, and Talent Management.
Before her current role at FBN Holdings, she worked with FirstBank Nigeria Ltd, the company’s largest subsidiary, as a Senior Business Partner and Lead for the Group HR Support Function. In this capacity, she managed HR matters for the Group’s non-banking subsidiaries, Sub-Saharan African businesses, and FBN (Bank) U.K.
She held prominent HR roles at UBA Plc, Workforce Group Consulting, and Mobil Producing Nigeria (ExxonMobil). Kuku holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from the University of Lagos and a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Robert Gordon University in Scotland. She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Nigeria (CIPMN), and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, UK (CIPD).
