By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Konga plans to create over 500,000 jobs in Nigeria and another 500,000 in other African countries by 2025, earning the e-commerce player kudos from Youths and Sports Development Minister Sunday Dare for helping to reduce joblessness.
That would make Konga the biggest employer in Nigeria, second to the Dangote Group aiming to create 750,000 jobs in the next few years, then raise it to one million and overtake the government as the biggest employer of labour in the country.
Dare gave the commendation in Abuja at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a partnership between Konga and the ministry to generate creative employment for Nigerian youths, per Nairametrics.
Konga Jobs (KJ), a youth empowerment and job creation scheme of the Konga Group, will place Konga’s assets, including a growing list of thriving subsidiaries across multiple verticals, at the disposal of youths to earn a living and create wealth.
The scheme targets youths who are employed, unemployed, and under-employed.
If the plan comes into fruition before Dangote’s, it will enable Konga to top the employment charts in the private sector and rival government entities in employment figures.
It will also significantly contribute to ameliorating the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria and other African countries as Konga prepares for continental expansion.
Konga’s aims
Konga intends to
· Channel its resources in developing creative employment for hardworking and aspiring youths across Nigeria.
· Offer many a chance to join the Konga Group’s retail revolution through its existing and new subsidiaries being unrolled across verticals.
· Provide beneficiaries opportunities to become members of Konga’s affiliates, which grants successful candidates life-long partnerships with the company.
Konga platforms
The Konga Group currently provides direct and indirect employment for well over 250,000 Nigerians in multiple entities, including
· Its chain of over 35 retail stores across Nigeria
· Konga Marketplace – an initiative it pioneered in Africa
· KongaPay – fintech licenced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
· Kxpress – digital logistics company with delivery assets
· Konga Travel – award winning travel and tours firm certified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
· Konga Health – digital health care distribution chain
· Konga Food – to be launched soon
Konga’s vision
Konga Group Co-CEO Nick Imudia said: ‘‘We are passionate about giving as many Nigerians and Africans who are qualified and ready to work the opportunity to find meaningful expression of their talents.
“Example is our partnership with Edo State government which shall not only employ thousands of youths but shall enhance and facilitate activities for SMEs in the state to become global corporate citizens.
‘‘This is because we believe, in line with the Konga mantra, that this will help them find happiness and live fuller, richer lives.
“But it doesn’t just end with the unemployed. Our research has shown that there are quite a number of under-employed Nigerians, many of [whom] can make a difference across [the] board, if given a chance.
‘‘Therefore, as a strong corporate citizen and in line with the status of the Konga Group as a company built as a public trust, Management has set an ambitious target to employ over 500,000 Nigerians by the year 2025.
“This is no mean feat by any standards, but at Konga, we are known for never shying away from confronting challenges and surmounting them.
‘‘We will be rolling out these creative employment opportunities soon and we are confident that [they] will offer many Nigerians who are determined to achieve, a useful avenue to, not only find gainful employment, but also create employment and wealth for others.”
About the Konga Group
The Konga Group was acquired by the Zinox Group in November 2018 in a landmark development described as one of the most brilliant Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) in the business world.
The Konga Group has been transformed into one of the leading players in the African e-commerce space, with innovative strategies backed by a growth trajectory that has catapulted it into the first e-commerce platform to make profit on the continent.