On Friday, May 3rd, UK graduates were invited to reconnect with their former institutions and to find out more about career opportunities in Nigeria.

The event, dubbed “Nigerian talent, UK educated” was organized by a group of 19 UK universities as an extension of the alumni and career support typically offered in the UK. Following a first edition of the event held in Lagos in April 2018, the organizers deemed it appropriate to move to the nation’s capital for the second edition, which held at the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

Emma Tarrant Tayou (University of Nottingham) and Deve Omiunu (representing Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University).

Alumni were able to hold one to one interactions with employers such as Nigerian Breweries, Jaiz Bank, Phillips Consulting, and Stutern, who were all present at this edition of the event. Gabriel Negbenebor, who is Head of People & Organisational Development at Nigerian Breweries and a graduate of Cardiff Metropolitan University, explained the event was beneficial to employers who need to fill roles requiring international experience. Other employers joining the event in Abuja included Amnesty International, Centre for Studies of Economics in Africa (CSEA) and Norrenberger.

Alongside the one to one interactions, former UK graduates shared useful insights with fair attendees on topics such as developing a career in the legal sector and working within Public Health. Aramide Abe (alumna of University of Nottingham) brought Naija Startups to the event, offering both ongoing advice throughout the fair and a master class on entrepreneurship and the business start-up process aimed at helping those looking to set up their own businesses in the future.

The majority of the graduates in attendance had completed master’s level studies and some were also keen to understand future prospects in research and academia. A session on insights into Ph.D. study was offered by a well-qualified team of academics: Dr Terry Cousens, Senior Lecturer (School of Civil Engineering) University of Leeds; Dr Gareth Roberts, Lecturer in Remote Sensing and Programme Lead for Applied GIS and Remote Sensing University of Southampton; Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi, PhD researcher and previous MSc Commonwealth Scholar, University of Southampton; Professor Jim Baird, Chair of Waste and Resource Management (Faculty of Engineering), Glasgow Caledonian University.

UK university representatives worked together to organize the event. Back row: Sergine Monple (University of Central Lancashire, Annabel Mitchell (Nottingham Trent University), Adebisi Adekola (University of Salford), Oyedapo Oyeyemi (University of Leeds), Alicia Butterfield (Loughborough University), William Kelly (University of Glasgow), Tom Williams (UCLAN), Francis Ojo (University of Birmingham), Pamela Armstrong (University of Glasgow), Alexa Jones (Cardiff University), Chinelo Konwea (University of Portsmouth), Fern Williams (Cardiff Metropolitan University), David Lennon (Newcastle University)Front row: Ifeanyi Udofia (University of Sussex), Emma Tarrant Tayou (University of Nottingham), Jenny Hyde (University of Portsmouth), Ajoke Olakunle (University of Glasgow), Claire Grant (University of Stirling), Yusuff Kaffo (University of Salford), Melissa Gibson (University of Southampton), Deve Omiunu (Cardiff University), Charlotte Greenwood (University of Kent).

Attendees of the event benefited from networking with employers as well as reconnecting with representatives from their universities. Graduates were also able to meet and network with other alumni from their previous institutions who may have graduated in different years as well as make new connections with graduates of other institutions but with whom they have a shared UK experience.

For graduates of the universities involved looking to stay connected with their institutions, or for enquiries about future studies at the institutions involved, relevant contact points are listed below: