In a major milestone for inclusive employment in Northern Nigeria, Blakskill Limited in partnership with Sightsavers and the Digital Bridge Institute, is driving inclusion for people with disabilities (PWDs)in northern Nigeria through its Kano career fair.
The fair brought together forward-thinking employers, certified professionals with disabilities, and key stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector to promote disability inclusion in the workplace.
Following the success of the Lagos edition, the Kano fair is part of a nationwide movement to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Nigeria’s workforce by connecting skilled persons with disabilities to meaningful job opportunities.
Michael Alasa, CEO of Blakskill, emphasized the organisation’s commitment to building inclusive talent pipelines that reflect the richness of Nigeria’s human capital.
“Kano represents a powerful opportunity to deepen the inclusion conversation in regions where access is still limited. At Blakskill, we believe talent has no disability, only barriers,” he said.
Read also: Blakskill, Sightsavers connects job seekers with disabilities to employment opportunities
“Today’s fair is about removing those barriers and creating real pathways for highly skilled professionals with disabilities to thrive in the workplace,” he added.
Over 100 Cisco-certified professionals trained under Sightsavers’ ICT Bridge Academy participated, engaging directly with employers across sectors such as technology, manufacturing, development, and financial services.
The event featured a high-level panel discussion on the themed ‘Inclusion at Work: Creating Opportunities for Talents with Disabilities,’ with contributions from policy leaders, advocates, and inclusive employers.
Participating companies also conducted on-the-spot interviews, talent profiling, and CV reviews, furthering the goal of real-time job placements.
David Okorafor, project officer at Sightsavers Nigeria, highlighted the importance of development partnerships in scaling the impact of inclusive employment.
“Our work doesn’t end with training. It’s about creating systems that recognize and reward the potential of all individuals, especially persons with disabilities.”
“What we’re doing here in Kano is planting a seed, one that we hope will grow into a stronger, more inclusive economy in the North and beyond.”
He noted that Blakskill and Sightsavers will continue to work with employers’ post-event to track interviews, employment outcomes, and foster workplace readiness for inclusive hiring.
“The Kano inclusion fair marks a new chapter in disability empowerment, bridging the gap between skills and opportunity, and reminding us that inclusion isn’t charity; it is smart business,” he said.
