The Federal Government has launched the “Hire From Nigeria” Campaign, a national initiative to connect skilled Nigerian youths to international jobs and service contracts without relocation, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The campaign was unveiled with the Federal Ministries of Education, Industry, Trade and Investment, Information, Labour, and Foreign Affairs leading the drive, alongside the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) and private-sector partners.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said Nigeria’s education system must align with global demand for talent.
“Young Nigerians must be equipped to secure international employment and deliver services to global employers while working from Nigeria,” he stated.
Dr. Alausa, according to a statement by Attah Ikharo, Special Adviser on Media and Communications, said over 200,000 Nigerians are currently undergoing training across 1,200 skills centres, using an 80% practical, 20% theory model with national skills certification.
He also announced the planned Digital Technology Academy in partnership with the Ministry of Information, which will train 35,000 Nigerians in software development, cybersecurity, AI, cloud computing, and quantum computing over 6-8 months with professional certifications.
He added that partnerships with Amazon Web Services have onboarded nearly 50 tertiary institutions onto the AWS Online Academy to expand digital training.
Dr. Alausa assured that the Ministry of Education will continue deepening reforms to make education practical, industry-responsive, and globally competitive.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to transforming Nigeria’s youthful population into a skilled, productive and globally connected workforce capable of creating value at home and contributing meaningfully to the international economy,” he said.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, formally launched the campaign, describing it as a market-facing initiative to position Nigerian talent before global employers and investors.
“The campaign, implemented through NATEP, is targeting one million export-linked jobs by 2030,” she said.
Dr. Oduwole noted that Nigeria has a large professional workforce, a growing tech ecosystem, and a strategic time zone. NATEP, in partnership with UNDP, has developed a digital services survey and directory mapping Nigerian providers across 17 sectors.
90%+ of surveyed businesses are headquartered in Nigeria
41% of digital entrepreneurs are below 35 years
Existing firms already serve an average of 2.6 international markets
She disclosed the campaign will be presented internationally at the 81st UN General Assembly on 24 September at the Nigerian House in New York to attract global employers, BPO buyers, and investors.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the campaign reflects how knowledge and skills can be traded across borders.
He pledged his ministry’s support to promote it locally and internationally.
Former Minister Dr. Sunday Dare commended the shift from theory to practical skills, saying Nigeria’s young, tech-driven population can build globally competitive outsourcing industries.
Olajumoke Dan-Okayi, SSA Strategic Communications and NATEP, said the programme is building structures including the National Coordination Mechanism for Services Exports, Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network, and participation in the WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026.
A National Outsourcing Policy expected in November 2026 will strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in BPO and Global Business Services.
Tech4Dev’s Joel Ogunsola said Hire From Nigeria will tackle barriers of discoverability, trust, and access for graduates, technical workers, creatives and non-graduates seeking global opportunities.