L-R: Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Comrade Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos; Founder and President, Tech4Dev, Joel Ogunsola; Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare; Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama; and Senior Special Assistant, Strategic Communication & NATEP, Office of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Dan-Okayi, during the Press Conference for the launch of the “Hire for Nigeria” Campaign.
By Abiodun Folarin
WorldStage— Global employers seeking skilled and exceptional talent are set to turn increasingly to Nigeria as the Federal Government launches the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign, aimed at connecting Nigerian professionals with international employers and creating opportunities for Nigerians to work remotely from home.
The initiative is designed to position Nigeria as a preferred global source of skilled talent and digitally delivered services, while expanding the country’s participation in the global services economy.
Speaking at the official launch of the campaign in Abuja on Monday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the initiative demonstrated Nigeria’s readiness to compete globally by showcasing the talent, creativity, skills and productivity of its people.
According to him, the campaign represents an important step in placing Nigerians, which he described as one of the country’s greatest national assets, at the centre of its economic engagement with the rest of the world.
Idris said the nature of global trade had changed significantly, with knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services increasingly crossing borders without the movement of physical goods.
“For decades, discussions about exports have focused largely on the products that leave our shores: oil, agricultural produce, solid minerals and manufactured goods.
“But the global economy has changed. Today, knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services can cross borders without the movement of physical goods,” he said.
He explained that “Hire from Nigeria” was a public-private collaboration involving the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Education, National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), Bank of Industry’s iDICE programme, as well as domestic and international private sector players.
Idris said the campaign was designed to position Nigeria as a preferred global destination for skilled talent and digitally delivered services.
He identified Nigeria’s large youthful population, growing pool of professionals, entrepreneurial culture, English-language proficiency, favourable time zone and expanding capabilities in technology, creative services and business support as key advantages in the global services market.
The minister said the campaign aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s ambition to create one million export-linked jobs.
He stressed that Nigerian youths would increasingly be able to participate in the global economy without relocating abroad.
“A young Nigerian does not have to leave the country to participate in the global economy. With the right skills, infrastructure, professional standards, and access to markets, Nigerians can live and work and earn here at home, while providing valuable services to clients and employers worldwide,” Idris said.
Also speaking, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the ministry was strengthening Nigeria’s talent pipeline through curriculum reforms, technical and vocational education, digital skills development and industry focused training.
He said the government was committed to ensuring that Nigerians acquired the skills and certifications required to compete for jobs in the international market.
“Wherever in the world, whoever in the world wants to hire, we want Nigerians to be trained, certified, and ready for the hire,” Alausa said.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the campaign would position Nigeria as a trusted destination for global talent and services while converting the country’s demographic advantage into jobs, exports and investment.
Oduwole described “Hire from Nigeria” as more than a communications campaign, saying it represented a national economic proposition aimed at opening Nigeria’s talent pool to the global market.
“As we take it to the global stage at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, our message will be direct: Hiring from Nigeria is not an act of goodwill. It is a sound commercial decision that delivers capability, innovation, competitiveness, and value,” she said.
Founder and President of Tech4Dev, Mr. Joel Ogunsola, said the campaign would help deliberately connect Nigeria’s large pool of skilled talent with growing international demand and convert skills into economic opportunities.
According to him, the success of the initiative would depend on effectively linking Nigerian talent with global opportunities.
“Hire from Nigeria is a simple but powerful idea. Nigeria has the talent, the world has the demand. Our job is to bring the two together.
“Because talent that is not connected to opportunity becomes frustration. Skill without access becomes wasted potential,” Ogunsola said.
The “Hire from Nigeria” campaign is expected to connect Nigerian professionals, service providers and businesses with global employers, outsourcing companies, investors and international markets as part of the Federal Government’s broader talent and services export agenda.
