The Paradigm Shift
We didn’t plan for this and we say this, not because indeed we didn’t, but because we should have.
In 2014, the Ebola virus was a sneak peek into the effect a global pandemic could have on an economy. And dare we say we were lucky, yes lucky, that it took the resilient effort of Dr Adadevoh and her colleagues to curb the wide spread of the virus in our country.
With that experience, one would think measures would have been put in place to tackle similar issues, should affliction decide to rise a second time.
And it did.
It’s been almost two months since the lock-down and with it, massive staff layoffs, salary cuts, reviewed employment contracts and an adjusted sense of business operations amongst entrepreneurs and organisations. The phrase Future of Work has become an even louder buzzword than it was a few years ago; with organisations and individuals turning to technology and digitisation faster and aggressively.
UBA held its first virtual AGM, FMCGs collaborated with Logistics companies, ISPs cheshire-smiled to the banks (and will continue to do for a substantial period), companies were and still are offering COVID-19 discounts or even complete price slashes on their products, and digital learning has taken a turn for the best in years.
For us, it’s that even though we’ve had to suspend our operations to observe the health guidelines, we’ve also recorded an increase in demand for our natives to occupy digital roles during this period, as well as an increased inquiry into the admission of our next batch of cohorts for our techpreneurship training. The highest demand and inquiry so far, if we may.
What then does this tell us? That the pandemic has obviously forced a tilt from traditional working and strongly highlighted the need for digital skills for individuals and organisations to thrive in a much more digital era. That there is a transition of our services from being a nice-to-have to a must-have.
And this applies to us as well, with regards to our operations. You see, we pride ourselves in the fact that our ethos revolves around impact and developing human capacity. It’s why our model was built around a physical classroom training; a setting where our facilitators engage our natives directly and thoroughly via an intensive curriculum. We’re pursuing a zero to hero mantra but we’ve been forced to re-evaluate its delivery because of the pandemic. Zero to hero because we do not on-board natives solely on an aptitude prowess basis. We’re keen on identifying talented minds with the right attitude towards personal growth, development and impact. It’s why ‘John who studied Linguistics can apply to Semicolon and stand an equal chance of admission with Jane who studied Computer Science’.
This begged the question: how do we deliver our training digitally while still holding dear the level of engagement and impact we’ve had through the physical classroom training?
It’s not so much about the fact that this change is rather abrupt than the consequences of its abruptness — factors beyond our control. That for each digital meeting we have with the natives in furtherance of their training, we’re forced to come to terms with the probability that perhaps the country is not entirely ready for this Future of Work. The essential services needed to thrive in this era are not in our control — constant power supply, affordability of data or the presence of a stable internet connection. What is the future of work if the average Nigerian cannot adequately benefit from it?
Nevertheless, we are aware of the fact that we are undoubtedly facing an era-defining challenge to public health and the global economy. So far, we have seen where the virus has hit the hardest and how economic and social factors are converging to respond; starting with the fact that till date, there have been fewer reported cases in countries with weaker health systems, where consequences of an outbreak could be overwhelming.
Using Nigeria as a case study, this then highlights another problem; that these low numbers only expose the insufficient testing or delay between the virus’s onset and its manifestation. Confirmed case numbers are increasing rapidly in Nigeria and a good host of African countries and if we fail to put in place strict measures to stop the virus’s spread, it’s highly likely we could see spikes of cases like those that overwhelmed parts of Europe. The sad difference is that, unlike those countries, we have little to no emergency care facilities available to save lives. If the disease spreads in densely packed urban centres in fragile states like Lagos, it may be impossible to control.
It’s why there have been multiple calls to action and challenges that seek sustainable solutions to the problems that arise as a result of the pandemic while we wait and hope for a cure. It’s why we are trying with the COVID-19 Reporter. Some of our natives genuinely believe that while they may not have the ability to create the cure, they can do what they can to complement the efforts of the essential workers and contribute to the healthcare sector generally.
As with all governments, ours is faced with hard choices about how to manage the virus. We have imposed lock-downs, curfews, border restrictions and inter-state travel bans but we have not let it run its due course. Lifting restrictions prematurely could risk new spikes in infections and require a return to isolation measures, further compounding the disease’s economic impact.
Millions in Nigeria depend on their daily income to feed their families and yes, an extended lock-down could rapidly create widespread desperation and disorder. We’ve seen how the pandemic created the potential for new outbreaks of violence. April brought with it an influx of armed robberies by the dreaded ‘One Million Boys’. Homes were invaded in the heart of the city of Lagos and on the outskirts, properties were stolen and a few lives were lost. Petty theft multiplied and there was a general feeling of insecurity and unrest. Pandemic related transport restrictions disrupted trade and food supplies; countless businesses were forced to shut down, and unemployment levels are likely to soar even higher than they already have. The oil sector is in panic mode as oil producers are struggling with the continual collapse of energy prices, forcing the House of Assembly to look to other sectors for revenue. Don’t even get us started on the exchange rates and inflation.
Perhaps, we see why our government decided to ease the lock-down mandate. But with the numbers increasing on a daily basis, how much of a feasible plan is this? We understand that the economic impact of restricting movement for months on end is likely to be devastating but we’re in a war against humanity and we must do all we can to preserve lives.
On top of such institutional problems, it can be hard to persuade populations with little trust in government or political leaders to follow public health directives. People are sceptical of what the government is saying or asking them to do. The doubts stemmed in part from misinformation, poor advice and perhaps a general disregard for the law. There is little to no media coverage in Nigeria about the effect of this pandemic. That people are getting diagnosed in the thousands and dying in the hundreds. Nigerian journalism should not be the NCDC’s daily updates on digital platforms. Where does technology step in to make this possible? Drone shots of the isolation centres? Interviews from the essential workers functioning in their element?
Prior to the pandemic, the Future of Work used to be a very dreamy term, well romanticised by tech companies referring to how robots will replace human labour. Perhaps it is simply more about embracing digital skills and utilising them to optimise the outcome of business operations? To aid the government in this battle?
No one envisioned a pandemic being the harbinger of this change, bringing with it multiple threats and causing massive disruption in the process. We saw the Future of Work as a concept that will take years to unfold but it’s here now and it’s not going away.
The paradigm has shifted. Are you ready?
