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How a Tech Platform is Helping the Unemployed Find Jobs
By Aisha Pandor, CEO of SweepSouth
With unemployment at an all-time high in Nigeria, it has never been more important than it is now to connect the country’s unemployed and underemployed with the right work opportunities that will empower them to provide the best for themselves and their families.
Unemployment is not only on the rise in Nigeria, it’s rising at a rapid pace as a result of an uncertain economic environment, exacerbated by the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, 33.3% of the country’s population were unemployed in the fourth quarter of 2020 – the second highest unemployment rate in the world. That means that around 70 million people in Nigeria are currently without jobs and unable to generate an income to support themselves and their families while 15.9 million people in the country are underemployed, working less than 40 hours a week.
One of the biggest obstacles that often stands in the way of people finding employment is a lack of awareness. Essentially, unemployed tradesmen, artisans and workers are unable to easily find or learn about employment opportunities where their skills are needed, largely relying on word-of-mouth or references from people within their social circles. But, on-demand home services company SweepSouth aims to tackle this challenge by directly connecting job seekers with those who require their services.
“The simple fact is that you can take advantage of 100% of the opportunities that you’re exposed to. But, when you’re dependent on finding new work opportunities through what the people around you have knowledge of, it becomes extremely difficult to have access to opportunities that could improve your employment situation,” says SweepSouth CEO Aisha Pandor.
“Technology is one of the most powerful enablers of connectivity and we wanted to leverage that potential to ensure that home service providers such as domestic workers are able to connect with as many employment opportunities in the most convenient way possible.”
Pandor started the company in 2014 after her and her husband went through a difficult and lengthy process when trying to find a domestic worker quickly. Now, with the tech platform SweepSouth Connect, which was launched in Nigeria four months ago, domestic workers (home cleaners, nannies) and artisans like electricians, plumbers, carpenter, painters and air-conditioner repair service providers, will be able to easily find dignified work.
Most importantly, the platform is allowing domestic workers to earn higher than market rates while giving them the power to choose who they take work from, where, and for how much – an opportunity that puts control back into the hands of a group that is often exploited and underpaid.
According to SweepSouth’s fourth annual Pay and Working Conditions for Domestic Workers Across Africa report, although 65% of Nigerian domestic workers are the main breadwinners of their households and are responsible for financially supporting an average of four dependents, only 29% earn more than 27 000 Naira per month. Meanwhile, more than half of domestic workers’ primary role includes cleaning, cooking and childcare. As domestic workers are excluded from Nigeria’s national minimum wage act, it is essential that their ability to find work that offers a fair wage is improved.
“Our main objective in creating SweepSouth connect was to create a platform that could demonstrably improve the lives of both customers and home service providers such as domestic workers, particularly as the pandemic has had a significant impact on domestic workers in the country, with 2 in 5 having lost their jobs as a direct result,” adds Pandor.
“Employment has such a huge impact, not only on our financial status, but also on our mental health, self-esteem, and overall quality of life. It is critically important that we do all we can to ensure that more people have access to employment opportunities that offer fair compensation and better working conditions if we are to address unemployment at its root, and technology has a big role to play in matching job seekers with opportunity.”
SweepSouth Nigeria enables home service providers to connect with prospective clients looking for home cleaning, plumbing, painting, carpentry, air-conditioner repairs, fumigation, electrical services and more, through a simple and easy to use mobile app. It also provides clients with a list of vetted and trustworthy candidates, and payment is made on the platform.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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