Employer Branding and Graduate Talent Attraction in the Nigerian Labour Market: A Study of FMCG Companies

This study investigates the influence of employer branding strategies on graduate talent attraction outcomes for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in the Nigerian labour market. Competition for high-calibre Nigerian university graduates has intensified significantly, driven by a growing professional services sector, fintech expansion, and increasing graduate migration considerations. Understanding what employer brand dimensions most powerfully attract top graduate talent is therefore a strategic priority for HR leaders in consumer goods companies. The study employs a survey design, collecting data from 250 recent Nigerian university graduates and graduating final-year students across six universities in Lagos, Abuja, and Onitsha. Ambler and Barrow's Employer Brand Framework provides the primary theoretical lens, distinguishing functional, economic, and psychological employer brand benefits. Findings reveal that career growth opportunities and learning culture are the employer brand attributes most strongly influencing graduate employer preference, outweighing starting salary as the primary attraction driver among high-performing candidates. Social media employer brand presence on LinkedIn and Instagram is also found to significantly enhance brand recall and consideration among graduates under 28 years. Sector reputation for innovation is a particularly strong differentiator for science and technology graduates. Recommendations include the development of authentic graduate-targeted employer value propositions, investment in university engagement programmes, and the creation of compelling digital employer brand content. This research provides actionable talent attraction intelligence for HR practitioners in Nigeria's competitive FMCG sector. Keywords: Employer Branding, Graduate Recruitment, FMCG, Talent Attraction, Nigeria.