Build the Credential System That Proves What Nigerian Workers Can Actually Do

Nigerian employers consistently report that academic certificates are poor predictors of job performance. Candidates with distinctions in Mathematics cannot use spreadsheets. English language passes do not translate to business writing competence. Yet hiring is still almost entirely certificate-driven, because there is no credible alternative signal. Skills-based hiring exists in theory. The infrastructure to support it in Nigeria does not. Your challenge is to design a micro-credential platform that enables Nigerian workers and job seekers to earn verifiable, employer-trusted credentials in specific practical skills (not broad subjects). It must cover at least 10 skills in demand among Nigerian SMEs, be completable in under 8 hours of total assessment time, cost under ₦2,000 per credential, and produce results that employers can verify in under 60 seconds. Submit a platform design document (max 12 pages) including: the assessment methodology for practical skills, the verification technology, how employer trust is built, the content and credential governance model, cost structure, and a plan to issue 100,000 credentials and sign up 500 employers in the first year. Judging criteria: 35% assessment validity for practical skills, 30% employer trust and verification design, 20% cost model, 15% employer acquisition plan.