Hire From Nigeria” Campaign Launches: Work Global, Stay in Nigeria

The Federal Government just launched a new campaign called *“Hire From Nigeria”* — and the goal is simple: connect Nigerian youths to international jobs without them having to leave the country.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, *Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa*. He said this is a direct push from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s _Renewed Hope Agenda_ to turn Nigeria’s young population into a skilled, productive workforce that can compete anywhere in the world.

*What’s actually happening?*

The plan is to retrain people for what the global market actually needs.

- *200,000+ Nigerians* are already in training across 1,200+ skills centres nationwide
- The new training model is *80% practical, 20% theory*, with national certification at the end
- A new *Digital Technology Academy* is in the works with the Ministry of Information. It will train *35,000+ Nigerians* in 6-8 months in software development, cybersecurity, AI, machine learning, cloud computing, IT automation, and even quantum computing. Graduates will get professional certs to help them land global tech roles
- Nearly *50 universities* are already partnering with Amazon Web Services to expand digital training

*Connecting talent to the world*

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, *Dr. Jumoke Oduwole*, said the campaign will run through the *National Talent Export Programme, NATEP*. The target: *1 million export-linked jobs by 2030*.

She pointed out what Nigeria already has going for it: a huge professional workforce, a growing tech scene, strong services sector, and a time zone that works well for global clients. What’s missing is the bridge to international contracts.

To fix that, NATEP and the UNDP built a digital directory mapping Nigerian service providers across *17 sectors*. The data shows:
- Over *90%* of those businesses are based in Nigeria
- *41%* of digital entrepreneurs are under 35
- Established firms are already serving an average of *2.6 international markets*

The campaign goes global on *September 24* during the *81st UN General Assembly in New York*, where international employers, BPO companies, and investors will be invited to hire Nigerian talent and invest in the sector.

*Why this matters*

The Minister of Information, *Mohammed Idris*, said trade has changed. Now it’s about skills, creativity, and services you can deliver online. Nigeria’s advantages? A young population, English proficiency, entrepreneurial spirit, and booming tech and creative industries.

Former Minister *Dr. Sunday Dare* also praised the shift from theory to practical skills, saying this is how Nigeria reduces poverty and builds globally competitive industries.

*Olajumoke Dan-Okayi* from NATEP added that structures are being put in place like a National Coordination Mechanism for Services Exports and the Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network. A new *National Outsourcing Policy* is also expected by November 2026 to boost BPO and digital services.

Tech founder *Joel Ogunsola* of Tech4Dev summed it up: Nigeria has the talent, but we haven’t made it easy enough for the world to find and trust it. “Hire From Nigeria” is meant to solve that — for graduates, techies, creatives, and skilled workers alike.

*Who’s behind it?*

It’s a joint effort by the Ministries of Education, Industry, Information, Labour, and Foreign Affairs, plus NATEP, Tech4Dev, Bank of Industry’s iDICE programme, universities, and other partners. 

Dr. Alausa closed by reaffirming that education will keep shifting toward practical, industry-ready training so Nigerians can create value at home and compete globally.