One finance: dealing with Nigeria’s highly-skilled talent constraints

Abstract

Learning outcomes This case study aims to provide students with: an understanding of the unique challenges companies in Africa face in attracting and retaining highly-skilled human resources. The ability to critically evaluate various talent recruitment, development and retention options available to companies in Africa. Case overview/synopsis This case study examines the talent management challenges faced by Chijioke Dozie, CEO of Nigeria-based financial services company One Finance (OneFi). Under the brand name Carbon, OneFi operated a digital financial services app that offered loans, bill payments, an investment platform and an electronic wallet. However, Nigeria did not have many professionals with experience in consumer lending and certain technical skills, particularly data scientists and software engineers, was hard to find. Data scientists, for instance, were not only in short supply in Nigeria but also they were in high demand globally. OneFi, therefore, competed against top employers throughout the world, but with a start-up budget. OneFi’s talent management dilemma is a common challenge faced by companies operating within under-developed African economies. The insights and learnings from this case are, therefore, also applicable to other businesses on the continent. Complexity academic level MBA Post Grad. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 1: Accounting and Finance.