The Federal Government has launched the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign, a strategy to position Nigeria as a major hub for talent and service exports, aiming to create one million export-linked jobs over the next five years.
“Hire from Nigeria” is a public-private initiative involving the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Education, National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), Bank of Industry’s iDICE programme and other domestic and international private-sector partners.
Speaking during the official presentation of the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign in Abuja, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole said the initiative reframed what Nigeria exports, moving beyond oil and physical commodities toward skills and digital services.
Oduwole described the campaign as a model of public-private collaboration involving the Federal Ministries of Industry and Education, the National Talent Export Programme, the Bank of Industry’s iDICE programme, and domestic and international private-sector partners.
According to her, NATEP, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, had developed a digital services survey and directory mapping Nigerian service providers across 17 sectors.
She said more than 90 per cent of the businesses surveyed were headquartered in Nigeria, while 41 per cent of digital entrepreneurs were below 35 years old and established firms already served an average of 2.6 international markets.
Oduwole said the campaign would be taken to the international market on September 24 during the 81st United Nations General Assembly at the Nigerian House in New York.
Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa said the initiative was a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing the need to transform Nigeria’s large youthful population into a skilled and productive workforce.
He said the Federal Ministry of Education was strengthening the training pipeline to produce skilled, certified and industry-ready Nigerians capable of competing for jobs and contracts in the international market while working from Nigeria.
Alausa also announced plans for a Digital Technology Academy being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
The academy is expected to train more than 35,000 Nigerians in areas including software development, cybersecurity, IT automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, cloud computing and quantum computing.
He said the six-to-eight-month programme would provide professional certifications designed to improve participants’ access to international technology opportunities.
The minister added that partnerships with global technology companies were also expanding digital training in tertiary institutions, with nearly 50 institutions already enrolled in the Amazon Web Services Online Academy.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to leverage Nigeria’s growing pool of skilled professionals, youthful population, and expanding digital economy to create employment opportunities and increase the country’s participation in the global services market.
He added that the initiative would boost foreign exchange earnings, expand the country’s skills and knowledge base, and create sustainable employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
The minister described the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign as a major public-private collaboration designed to promote Nigerian professionals and businesses in the international marketplace.
He affirmed that the Federal Government remains committed to ensuring that Nigerian talent gains greater visibility and recognition globally.
Idris stated, “This is a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its focus on job creation, economic diversification, skills development, global integration, and the empowerment of young Nigerians.”
“Under the President’s vision and leadership, the Federal Government has unveiled a strategy to make Nigeria a major hub for talent and service exports, with the ambition of creating one million export-linked jobs over five years.”
“The task now is to turn ambition into opportunity, and ‘Hire from Nigeria’ will be at the vanguard of that effort. However, it will require close cooperation between government and the private sector, training institutions and employers, technology companies and young professionals, as well as between Nigeria and international markets.”
“The future of Nigeria’s economy will increasingly be driven by the talent, creativity, skills, and productivity of our people.”
“The message today is simple: Nigeria is ready to compete on the global stage. Nigerian talent is ready to work, and the world should look to Nigeria.”
“I commend the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, the NATEP team, Tech4Dev, iDICE, and all other partners working to make this campaign a success.”
“Let us work together to ensure that ‘Hire from Nigeria’ becomes more than a campaign. Let it become a global invitation to discover the skills, creativity, professionalism, and enormous potential of the Nigerian people.”
He continued, “We will leverage the ‘Hire from Nigeria’ campaign to speak directly to employers, investors, and businesses around the world, affirming that Nigeria is open for business and that our people are ready to compete, collaborate, and contribute to today’s global marketplace.”
“We will also speak directly to young Nigerians and remind them that the opportunities of the modern economy are no longer limited by geography. A young Nigerian does not have to leave the country to participate in the global economy.”
“With the right skills, infrastructure, professional standards, and market access, Nigerians can live, work, and earn right here at home while delivering valuable services to clients and employers worldwide with Nigeria benefiting from foreign exchange inflows, tax revenues, and an expanded skills base,” he concluded.