The research encompassed market-leading job portals in West Africa (Jobberman) and East Africa (Brightermonday), as well as executive recruitment and HR solutions firm The African Talent Company. Data sets were analyzed from more than 12 million users, as well as from more than 100,000 employers across Nigeria and Kenya active in the last two years.

"We have recently conducted a data review and were shocked by this huge gap. Our initial hypothesis was that this is due to a shortage of jobs, gaps in the labor markets, and desperation, said Matthew Page, Ringer One Africa Media Group Head of Jobs. However digging deeper into our database, our analysis found that many candidates were indeed qualified for other available jobs, but did not necessarily apply for these. African employers and our clients indeed face a challenge in hiring the right people." 

"Hiring the right competency upfront typically returns three times productivity for the employer. It also minimizes the on-board time required to get an employee up to speed. That is why we have launched smart employer products in the last months. These facilitate a smooth hiring experience for employers, through tech-enabled short listing and matching products that identify the best candidate for the best position," Page said.