Senate Should Pass A Bill To Stop Employment Age Discrimination. What happens to the youths above 30 years? Are they not Nigerians? Who should provide jobs for them? Considering the struggle and delay that Nigerian Youths go through to have a university education coupled with incessant strikes, there should be NO age barrier to job employment. If FG jobs can peg age limit at 30, why should we still allow politicians to contest at age above 60 years? Check FRSC, Nigeria Prison Service, Police recruitment and the likes, the maximum age limit is between 28-30 years.

Job seekers are confronted with many barriers. Of all the problems, age appears to take the lead. Even when the applicant is qualified for the job, his age can be an obstacle, writes MUYIWA LUCAS.

THE number of the country’s unemployed youths may continue to grow in leaps and bounds. This is because of a seeming clog employers have placed in the way of job seekers. Presently, not only must a job seeker graduate with very high grades, his age at the time of seeking employment has now become as equally important as his good grades.

At business districts, they are noticeable as they comb the streets in a well dressed suit, moving from offices to offices to submit job applications but during the short-listing; most companies dump their applications despite their impressive CV.

Hakeem Akintunde used to be a victim of age barrier in the labour market but the US visa lottery which he won in 2013 helped him out of the quagmire. He finished his degree at the age of 28 but most of the jobs he applied for turned him down because he did not qualify for age benchmark of 25 at a new generation bank among several others.


He is not alone. Uche Chiwendu finished her degree at the age of 26 from University of Port Harcourt with 2.1 grade in Accounting. She applied for a job at a leading auditing firm in Lagos. She was called for interview but at the final stage of the interview which she passed, the head of the interview team praised her for displaying excellence performance. She was however told that part of the company policy is that any candidate at the entry level should not be more than 23yrs. Chiwendu almost collapsed.


Sometimes in 2013, Tue July 2, KPMG International, a global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services advertised job vacancy for graduate trainee copied on www. with job reference number J2013. With 100 slots available in Lagos, the company requested that interested candidates should posses’ first class or second class (Upper) in any discipline, five O’level credits (including English & Math) at one sitting with an age ceaveat: “Not more than 26 years.”

Age discrimination in employment has become a major problem facing graduates and non-graduates in Nigeria. It has continued to enhance the unemployment situation in the country. Take a look at vacancy adverts in Nigeria and you will see how they are equipped with age restrictions and sometime certificate barriers. A typical example reads, “Candidate must not be more than 25 years of age, must possess a good university degree with a second class honours (Upper division). Candidate must have at least 10 to 15 years of experience”. Emphasis hardly placed on competence.

Sadly, a practice which was mainly associated with the banking industry has spread to other sectors. Today, government institutions Champion this course. Even foreign companies indulge in the practice when they do not have similar conditions in their own countries.

President General of Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Bobooi Bala described age barrier in employment requirement as an unwholesome development.

“In other parts of the world, employers look at your competence. They never bother with your age as long as you can do the work efficiently. In the US, you see people still getting new jobs at 50; people are still working at 60 years. There is another thing they do here. They ask for seven, eight years experience. Can anybody acquire experience without first getting a job? It is really sad. People are taking advantage of the unemployment situation.”



Akintunde Ojo, a businessman, said employers are not inserting the age clause to prevent any class of people from getting employed. They are just looking for the best in terms of efficiency and disposition.

“You know the older you are, the tendency for you to be slowed down by age. I also tried in vain to get paid employment. My inability to get a job after six years of leaving the university, made me go into auto spares business.”

He, however, added that not everyone would be able to raise capital from family members like he did. He appealed to employers to consider the state of the nation and try to remove the age clause from vacancy adverts.

Comrade Lateef Oyelekan, President, National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), appealed to employers to remove the age clause, and consider competence instead of insisting on employing people within a certain age bracket only. He said they should also consider experience in their search for workers as experience goes hand in hand with age.

“Many people are frustrated, not because they cannot acquire the necessary qualification needed to secure employment, but because employers make them feel rejected. Many have lost hope.

“Employers should consider older citizens who have the required qualification for jobs,” he said.

The National Assemby has made efforts in the past to ensure that employers at all levels remove age barrier clause in their employment criteria. An Act to prohibit age discrimination in employment in the public and private Sectors in Nigeria sponsored by Hon. Hassan El-Badawywas debated but nothing has come out of the assembly.


With age discrimination in the labour market, a job recruitment expert, Mr. Michael Omole, said most Nigerians studying part time programmes without being engaged in a job already might not have a company to employ them as a result of age barrier which prevented them from going to school on time. He said government should enact the bill on age discrimination in other to make companies stop this act.

Source: https://www.thenationonlineng.net/age-barrier/amp/

Nairalanders, what are your opinions and experience with age barrier while searching for jobs?

I pray this issue is look up but the children of the elites even at 45yrs still get employed in these agencies. . .aside the age limits please, they should make fairness and openness work for all



FTC dedicated to all unemployed youths in the country, this year will not pass you by..Amen!

The age barrier is a systematic way of securing job for the children of the polithiefcian..

This people know for sure the rigorous delay in our educational system but since their kids are in private universities.. those job opportunity are met for them.

I really don't get it...

Only if this writeup can get to the National Assembly and receive attention.
The trend is not just annoying but counter productive too.
If it continues this way, then Nigeria is never getting better anyday.
Some people got admission late in life and are faced with incessant strikes in the university system and when the person finally struggles and pull through; issue of age limit will become a barrier to getting jobs.

Age restriction and State of Origin should be removed from all jobs, not only FG jobs.

I have been kicking against Federal Character and Quota system.

God bless you Op for this observation. If only our leaders would adopt it.
This shows the level of suffering Nigerians are going through in the hands of this thieves. If Buhari that is more than 80 still wants to contest election. I see no reason why a citizen that is more than 30 yrs cannot apply for federal jobs.
I dont give a dam to their age limit. I apply anytime I see a job vacancy. I know one day God will answer me.

Wicked people.

So those without a drivers license cannot apply for FRSC Recruitment

I hope this is addressed. I still have a long way to go before I hit 30 but this could affect someone I know or love.

Employers aim to limit the number of applicants is the reason for age restrictions. Those who are age restricted should also be employed especially by the government.

As for private companies, it can be overlooked. Some private employers want to have dominance over their employees hence they seek younger people that they can intimidate. Some because they feel young ones are more enthusiastic and open to learn new things than the old ones.

Perhaps a proof of work experience and a recommendation letter from past employers should be a prerequisite for ever job seeker. This will give the employers an insight of the applicants strength and qualities

Who will speak for us?

I hope they address this matter as a matter of urgency cos the consequence of maintaining the status-quo will be too daring on everybody. First off, it is mostly due to the failure of the govt that most graduate in their late 20s and 30s(yearly strikes, nysc delays, and non-availability of jobs). When you now take their hope away entirely by pegging the age limit, it is a dangerous for the country and very irresponsible and insensitive.

NwanyiAwkaetiti:
So those without a drivers license cannot apply for FRSC Recruitment

I think one can oh. It isn't a mandatory field to fill

We have more pressing issues in the country.

The West have never and would forever despise any country with very large population.

Nigerias problem since 1914 was orchestrated to distabilize our unity knowing it would make us formidable and prosperous.

Do you know that all these deadly viruses like Ebola, Monkey Pox, HIV, Anthrax etc are man made by the West in their labs? These are antics designed to reduce African population.

So if the Australian Inland Taipan has suddenly found its way here, I smell the hand of the west.
Remember the man intercepted with crates of exotic reptiles of which included snakes in Nigeria?

The West is evil and will do anything to remain dominant over others...

Part of the reason the age barrier exists is to funnel young people into positions of responsibility where employers can pay peanuts but derive quality labor.

I absolutely agree. Some companies can be funny with their requirements.

This is really calls for concern. I pray the relevant law making bodies look into this.

This is the kind of bills senator Dino Melaye will push and convince his colleagues to support..It' about that time the nonsense of age barrier stops. 80 percent of Nigerians are guilty of age falsification cos of job search, you see a graduate with over 5 declaration of age affidavits

Too many applicants so use age to reduce applicants. Silly tho

I just weak for this country

Leave them, forget them. They wont hear the call. Except you call them with MTN GLO or AIRTEL line with a female voice

They should do it please

Age restriction is necessary in many government and non-government jobs but not all jobs.

For instance, can a 30-year-old undergo the rigorous training of the military or paramilitary agencies?

I doubt it.

Besides the rigors of the job, another issue is the problem of younger people controlling the older people working under them.

This would be difficult in this society of ours where we have been taught to respect our elders and keep quiet when they speak.

I agree that older people do work under younger people, but it's usually in different capacities and with different qualifications. E.g: Older security guard with SSCE under younger boss with B.Sc, older driver with SSCE under younger boss with M.Sc etc.

But when the older person has the same qualifications with the younger person and is able to attain the position currently occupied by the younger person, it will quickly become a problem.

For instance, older entry level B.Sc employee working under younger M.Sc manager, older SSCE security guard working under younger SSCE security guard, older B.Sc driver working under younger B.Sc driver, older SSCE army private working under younger SSCE army sergeant etc.

Now can the younger person control the older person easily?

I doubt it.

The problems of ego and respect will always come into play. Then you'll start hearing statements like "How old are you? So mo age mi ni? For say I dey there when dem born you, I for chop your naming rice. Na condition make crayfish bend. For say I join when you join, I no go be your oga? etc.

I suggest the age ceiling should be reviewed and should be dependent on the agency recruiting.

However, the older people should not expect much because it will still favor younger people.

nymphomaniac:
I think one can oh. It isn't a mandatory field to fill

Your sobriquet though

Even though nko

May God help us.. unemployment is getting harder day by day in this country..

This IS NIGERIA, FALZ NA CRIMINAL!!

Who age limit epp.God help us all in Nigeria

How can government agencies be copying private agencies in ageism. Besides why are all the agencies suddenly giving employment now. Call me cynical but me thinks it's the 2019 fever

The reason why people are doing yahoo + and kidnapping

Jokers! Putting age barrier on the one common man Will get,yet they want to be great grand fathers and still be eligible to contest elections.