James Sowole in Abeokuta
The need to reposition human resource (HR) management as a strategic driver of business resilience, innovation and economic growth took centre stage at the 2026 HR Space Conference hosted by Caleb Business School (CBS), with experts calling for sweeping reforms to prepare organisations for the future of work.
The conference, held at Ikeja, Lagos with the theme “Reimagining HR for Business Resilience and Growth,” brought together HR practitioners, policymakers, business leaders and academics from Nigeria and abroad.
It was organised in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), the University of Cambridge, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), and the University of Greater Manchester.
Delivering the welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Prof. Olalekan Asikhia, described the conference as a timely intervention in response to growing economic uncertainty, technological disruption and increasing competition for talent.
He said the traditional view of HR as a department concerned mainly with payroll, leave administration and discipline had become obsolete, stressing that modern organisations require HR professionals who can shape business strategy, drive innovation and build resilient institutions.
Asikhia warned that Nigeria faces a “triple threat” of economic volatility, talent scarcity and rapid technological disruption driven by artificial intelligence and automation, making workforce transformation an urgent priority.
He lamented that many university graduates remain inadequately prepared for the workplace, compelling employers to invest heavily in retraining new recruits before they become productive.
The VC therefore, called for stronger collaboration between universities and industry to ensure graduates acquire practical, digital and leadership skills that meet the demands of the modern workplace.
He added that Caleb Business School had strengthened partnerships with international institutions while the university’s Tech Hub continues to develop innovative digital solutions to address real-life business challenges.
The President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Ahmed Ladan, represented at the event, delivered the keynote address titled “Leadership Development in the Gig Economy: Alternative Workforce Models.”
Ladan said the labour market is changing faster than leadership systems and employment policies, noting that the future workforce will increasingly comprise permanent employees, freelancers, consultants, contractors and digital platform workers operating under flexible arrangements.
He argued that organisational resilience would depend on leaders’ ability to effectively manage diverse talent and integrate different categories of workers into productive workforce ecosystems.
Citing global research, Ladan disclosed that between 154 million and 435 million people currently participate in online gig work worldwide, with Sub-Saharan Africa recording one of the fastest growth rates in digital labour opportunities.
While describing Nigeria’s youthful population as a major competitive advantage, he warned that the gig economy also presents challenges, including income instability, weak social protection and regulatory uncertainty.
He called for labour reforms, improved data collection on platform work, expanded social protection and stronger collaboration among government, universities and professional bodies to prepare graduates for both conventional employment and portfolio careers.
Also speaking, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for International Human Resource Management, University of Cambridge, Prof. Jens Jenssen, urged organisations to redesign HR functions by positioning HR as a strategic partner in business transformation.
He maintained that effective people management is the responsibility of leaders at every level and remains central to building resilient organisations and achieving sustainable business growth.