Nigerian HR-tech startup SeamlessHR is expanding its customer base by targeting government agencies, positioning itself to tap into the growing public sector market.
With over 720,000 civil servants, the Nigerian government represents a significant opportunity for SeamlessHR, offering a stable and high-value market for long-term growth.
According to a source familiar with the matter, SeamlessHR is in talks with several ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), including the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), to onboard them onto its platform.
The startup already provides its performance management services to Nigeria’s Port Authority (NPA) and its recruitment solution to the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program, said Deji Lana, SeamlessHR’s Chief Technology Officer.
Lana noted that the company’s success in the private sector has built a solid foundation for its transition into the public sector. “If we’ve done this for the private sector, and it has worked, why can’t we do it for government as well?” Lana explained.
“There might be some unique configurations, but we’re confident the platform can adapt to the specific needs of government agencies.”
SeamlessHR aims to address long-standing issues like transparency, ghost workers, and unequal distribution in the public sector by streamlining human resource management.
The move into the government sector comes as the HR-tech space in Nigeria becomes increasingly competitive, with new players emerging to challenge SeamlessHR’s dominance.
Despite the competition, Lana remains confident, pointing out that SeamlessHR’s biggest competitors are global HR-tech giants like SAP, Zoho, and Oracle.
“From the start, we set out to build a complete HR tech solution,” Lana said. “Some of our global competitors have already done that, but our deep understanding of local challenges gives us an edge.”
The Nigerian government sector represents a particularly attractive opportunity, with companies like Remita handling transactions worth approximately ₦21 trillion annually. SeamlessHR sees itself playing a critical role in the government’s digital transformation by providing efficient, scalable HR solutions.
However, breaking into the government sector is not without challenges. Government agencies typically rely on legacy systems, and migrating to SeamlessHR’s system could be a complex and costly process. Additionally, the long sales cycle often associated with government contracts may delay SeamlessHR’s revenue generation.
Still, the potential for long-term contracts makes the effort worthwhile. SeamlessHR is also exploring new technology integrations, including artificial intelligence (AI), to further enhance its platform’s capabilities. As the company looks to the future, it remains focused on helping Nigeria’s public sector modernize its HR functions.
