Moniepoint CEO: 500 Jobs Remain Vacant Over Talent Shortage in Nigeria

The Chief Executive Officer of Moniepoint, Tosin Eniolorunda, has raised concerns over the shortage of qualified talent in Nigeria, saying the company is struggling to fill about 500 vacant roles.

Eniolorunda made the remarks during an event in Lagos on May 1. A video of his comments has since been circulating online.

According to him, Moniepoint had deliberately decided to focus its hiring on Nigeria, but the company has found it difficult to attract enough candidates who meet its standards.

“We made a decision that we will no longer hire from any other place than Nigeria. If you go to Moniepoint’s career website, we have maybe 500 vacancies, and we are struggling to find people to fill those roles,” he said.

Moniepoint Wants Local Talent

Eniolorunda said the challenge was not only about the number of applicants available, but also about the quality of candidates applying for the roles.

“Not only could we not find people at the quality and the quantity we needed, the few people that we found were not up to the global standards that we need,” he said.

He explained that Moniepoint operates in a competitive global market and needs skilled workers who can meet international standards.

“We are not competing with just local players. I’m competing globally. I need to make sure that I have world-class people working in the organisation,” he added.

Education and Skills Gap Under Scrutiny

The Moniepoint CEO linked the talent shortage to deeper structural problems, including weaknesses in Nigeria’s education system and changing attitudes among young people.

He said he had always believed Nigerians were highly intelligent, but recent experience had shown that more work needed to be done to prepare young people for the modern workplace.

“I used to feel like Nigerians are really, really bright, but I’m beginning to feel like we need to do something,” he said.

Eniolorunda also said social pressure, environment, and online influences were shaping how many young Nigerians think about success and career growth.

Concern Over Quick-Money Culture

The fintech founder expressed concern over the growing attraction of internet fraud and quick-money lifestyles among some young people.

According to him, this culture is weakening long-term career focus and discouraging some youths from building strong skills.

“The level that people are reasoning in this country is not as high as it used to be,” he said.

He added that a country with more than 200 million people should offer young people better examples and more legitimate paths to success.

Japa Also Worsening the Talent Shortage

Eniolorunda also identified the continued migration of skilled Nigerian professionals, popularly known as “japa,” as another reason companies are finding it hard to hire strong local talent.

Many experienced professionals have left Nigeria in recent years for better opportunities abroad, creating gaps in key sectors, including technology, finance, healthcare, and engineering.

He called for stronger investment in human capital development and urged stakeholders to give young Nigerians better role models, clearer career paths, and stronger reasons to build their future at home.

The comments have sparked debate online, with some Nigerians agreeing that the country has a serious skills gap, while others argue that companies must also improve pay, training, and working conditions to attract and retain top talent.