Seminar:
The labor market´s future technical employees from Africa
September 1st, 2025
The Western Worlds and especially Europe’s aging population will soon withdraw many from the labour market, and this skilled labour shortage is already today reported to be a major growth barrier. Meanwhile, Africa’s booming young population urgently needs jobs to avoid instability and migration crises.
As a technical service provider with 400 technicians in Europe, where the labour force shrinks by 3% annually, the company Eryk began seeking sustainable solutions for recruiting young, skilled Nigerian and Ghanaian technicians back in 2017. Now, 7 years later, Eryk has a surplus of young technicians ready to learn and work internationally. This success was partly achieved through collaborations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (Danish Trade Council), the Nigerian National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) through the EU-funded Mobility Partnership Facility (MPF).
Seminar content
12.00 PM: Registration
12.15 PM: Welcome
/(Mr.) Andreas Hyldahl, Associate Director, The Danish Export & Investment Fund
/(Ms.) Gustav Gericke , Associate Director, The Danish Export & Investment Fund
12.30 PM: Welcome & Introduction to AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®
/ (Mr.) Flemming Sørensen, CEO, Nordic-African Consultancy
12.45 PM: Key info about Nigeria, the young population and Europe’s role to play in Nigeria
/(Ms.) Jette Bjerrum MBA, Consul General of Denmark in Lagos, Nigeria, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
Jette is representing Danish interests and Public Affairs – also supporting the work in line with the foreign policy missions of the Danish Embassy in Abuja. Trade Council and advisory to Danish companies doing business in Nigeria, facilitating, and fostering rewarding partnerships between Danish and Nigerian public private stakeholders. Before Bjerrum joined the Danish diplomatic corps, she worked globally within the pharmaceutical business – and before the assignment in Nigeria she was Consul General of Denmark in India.
01.00 PM: Labour mobility – a brain drain or a brain gain seen from a Nigerian perspective?
/(Mr.) Idris Muhammad Bugaje, Professor, National Board for Technical Education in Nigeria (NBTE)
Prof. Idris Bugaje is a renewable energy researcher and chemical engineer with over 40 years teaching experience both within Nigeria and abroad. He oversees over 300 Tertiary Institutions as executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education where he drives transformation in technical education through right policies and teaching practices for skills empowerment. He has maintained a healthy cooperation between Eryk and the NBTE, while also leading the sub-Saharan Africa Skills and Apprenticeship Stakeholders Network (SASASSNET).
Networking break
01.30 PM:Overall story of Eryk’s journey from now and ahead
Over the last three years, Eryk has grown by approximately 50% and employed 200 new technicians. At the same time, Eryk has reduced employee turnover, increased profit margins, and strengthened its ESG (Environmental, Social, Corporate Governance) and CSR (Corporate social responsibility) profile. How is this possible?
/(Mr.) Jens-Christian Moeller MBA, Co-founder and President, Eryk Group (Nigeria)
Top Manager at IBM, then KK Wind Solutions, and since 2004, at Eryk Group. In 1988, he was nominated as Young Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2018, he received the Danish Royal Medal of Honor and the Danish Export Council’s diploma. In 2021, he was granted honorary citizenship of Poland by the President of Poland, and in 2023, he was again nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year.
/(Mr.) Hamza Jatto, Business Development Manager of Eryk Group (Nigeria)
In 2019 Hamza was part of Eryk’s first apprentice from Africa, working on various projects across Europe. A trained Electrical Engineer and a Business Development Manager with experience in Project Management, Program Management and Customer Relationship Management. From 2020 to 2022, he worked as the Customer Relations Coordinator at Eryk Group. Since 2022, he has been the Business Development Manager at Eryk Group, managing the International Apprenticeship Program and contributing to the African Vision strategy.
Networking break
02.30 PM: Demographic challenges at the Danish and European labour market
/(Mr.) Jan Pierrel-Boas, Corporate Relations Advisor, Danish Export Association
Jan is a Public Affairs Advisor and former Regional Sales Manager for Northern and Western Africa for Nilfisk and FLSmidth. Holds a Masters in International Business (CEMS MIM, CBS/HEC Paris) and a Master in Intercultural Management from Copenhagen Business School.
03.00 PM: Can labour mobility initiatives bridge skills gaps between regions?
/(Mr.) TBA
Learnings from public-private labour mobility projects.
Sum-Up
4.00 PM: Takeaways
4.00 PM – 5.00 PM Networking
After the programme, we encourage all participants to stay for networking and buzzing.
In cooperation with
Venue, Sign up and Price
Participants fee:
Free of charge. Subject to no-show fee: EURO 75.
Venue
The Danish Export & Investment Fund
Haifagade 3
DK-2150 Copenhagen (Nordhavn)
Seminar
This seminar is first part of a business delegation from Nigeria, September 1st – 7th, 2025. The majority of the delegates from Nigeria are representatives from The National Board for Technical Education. Nigerian delegates will furthermore have bilateral meetings as will as visiting relevant institutions and sites in Denmark.
At this seminar, we:
- Learn more about the Danish Government´s Africa strategy and how to bridge technical education between Denmark & Nigeria/Africa.
- Showcase innovative and sustainable Nordic businesses, operating across Africa, and dig into their strategies, business models.
- Provide a forum for connecting with like minded companies, educational insitutions and potential collaborators
- Offer all participants an opportunity to meet representatives from the African/Danish diplomatic corps
- Meet people from Nigeria who can inspire you to look towards Nigeria when you are looking for future employees.
Practical
Participants are encouraged to share their practical experiences and ideas. Presentations are followed by Q&As and exchanges. During the seminar, we ensure breaks for networking and discussion. Snacks, water, coffee and tea are available throughout the day.
Sign up (mandatory):
CEO, AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK®, Mr. Flemming Soerensen; fls@nordic-african.com
Picture/video credit: ERYK