Government leads in job opportunities during pandemic

By Frankline Sunday 

The State has emerged as a top source of new job opportunities in the months following the outbreak of Covid-19.

This is according to a new study that examined trends in labour markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, to determine the worst affected sectors. 

The study shows sales and marketing emerged the most in-demand roles in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, with a majority of firms advertising for mid-level management positions. 

“Sales roles in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya are the most sought-after, with 15 per cent, four per cent and 13 per cent of job postings in each market respectively between January and August 2020,” explained the report.

“IT and telecoms were top industries with the most job postings in Ghana and Nigeria at 12 per cent and 16 per cent respectively, while the government had the most job postings in Kenya with 15 per cent.”

The report analysed data from online job application sites, including Brighter Monday.

Management and business development were the most declining job functions in Kenya with four per cent job listings, while customer service and support were the most declining job functions in Ghana and Nigeria, with two per cent and five per cent of total listings respectively.

The report comes at a time millions of working Kenyans are struggling to make ends meet with firms laying off staff and introducing pay cuts.

Last month, the World Bank reported up to two million Kenyans have been pushed into poverty by the virus. The pandemic has also provided an opportunity in other sectors.

Despite a decline in hiring by industries, reports predict a rise in demand for certain skills post-Covid as companies prepare to address the challenges brought about by the pandemic, according to ROAM Africa, an online firm.