ABUJA, Nigeria— The African Talent Company (TATC), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is expanding its youth employability efforts from Nigeria into East Africa, building on a five-year collaboration that has trained and placed hundreds of thousands of young Nigerians in jobs.
Since 2020, TATC, through its Jobberman Nigeria platform, has trained more than 2.4 million young Nigerians and facilitated over 600,000 job placements under the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy. This partnership has focused on inclusive, dignified work for young people aged 18 to 35, using a data-driven, community-based model and low-bandwidth digital solutions for broad accessibility.
The expansion comes as Jobberman recently hosted the Technology and Employment Inclusion in Marginalised Contexts (TEIMC) Roundtable in Abuja. The event shifted focus to highly vulnerable youth, including women in disadvantaged communities, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
Leaders from government, civil society, tech platforms and the private sector gathered to address structural and digital barriers these groups face in finding employment.
“Technology can and must be a force for inclusion, not division,” said Hilda Kabushenga, CEO of The African Talent Company. “As the world of work evolves, we must ensure that no one is left behind. These conversations are about equity, access, and opportunity.”
The roundtable also marked the release of the “Technology and Employment Inclusion in Marginalised Contexts” report. It found that while 72% of Nigerian employers make no effort toward inclusive hiring, digital tools and remote work are creating new entry points for underserved populations. Notably, 55% of PWDs and 44% of displaced women surveyed had secured some form of work, primarily through self-employment in creative media and agriculture.
“Inclusion is not a side conversation, it is the main agenda,” said Rosy Fynn, Country Director for Mastercard Foundation Nigeria. “We must design systems where marginalised groups are not just considered, but centered.”
The roundtable’s policy briefs and program recommendations will inform the Young Africa Works learning agenda and guide future employer training, platform design and inclusive employment programming.
Axel Konjack, Head of Global Marketplaces and Member of the Ringier Group Executive Board, emphasized Africa’s demographic opportunity. “Africa is home to the world’s youngest and fastest-growing workforce, and that presents both an incredible opportunity and a responsibility,” Konjack said. “If we want to build a truly inclusive global economy, we must invest in equipping young Africans with the skills, tools and access they need to thrive in the evolving labour market.”
Building on the Nigerian success, TATC and the Mastercard Foundation are extending efforts to East Africa through BrighterMonday Kenya and BrighterMonday Uganda.
BrighterMonday Kenya recently hosted its first Career Clinic in Kakuma, partnering with the Amahoro Coalition. The event engaged over 200 displaced youth and stakeholders, focusing on job readiness through mentorship, skills training and discussions under the theme “Future Ready: Equipping Talent for Inclusive Digital Job Markets.”
Similarly, BrighterMonday Uganda held a Career Clinic in Kampala. It brought together government and private sector leaders under the theme “Skills For Today: Empowering Uganda’s Youth To Take Control Of Their Future.” Young job seekers received CV reviews, coaching and digital skills training, reinforcing a commitment to hands-on, work-readiness programming.
“This expansion reflects our belief that every young African, regardless of circumstance, deserves the opportunity to earn a dignified livelihood,” Kabushenga said. “The partnership in Nigeria has laid a strong foundation, but the real work has just begun.
