Hire From Nigeria’: FG targets 1m foreign-linked export jobs, increased revenue

…We’re positioned to compete in global services economy – Idris

The federal government has launched the “Hire From Nigeria” campaign, targeting the creation of one million export-linked jobs by 2030 as part of efforts to position Nigeria as a global hub for skilled talent and digitally delivered services.

The campaign was unveiled on Monday in Abuja at a national press conference hosted by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the initiative would place Nigeria’s human capital at the centre of the country’s economic engagement with the global community.

Idris noted that the global economy had moved beyond the traditional export of physical commodities, with knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services increasingly crossing borders without the movement of goods.

According to the minister, Nigeria was well positioned to compete in the emerging global services economy, citing its large and youthful population, growing pool of professionals, entrepreneurial culture, strong English-language proficiency, favourable time zone and expanding capabilities in technology, creative services, business support and other digitally delivered services.

The minister, however, stressed that possessing talent was not enough, saying Nigeria must also ensure that international employers were aware of the quality and availability of its professionals.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that the story of Nigerian talent is told clearly, credibly and consistently,” Idris said.

He said the ministry would deploy its communication platforms, agencies and partnerships to promote the campaign locally and internationally ahead of its planned global launch during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Idris urged young Nigerians to take advantage of opportunities in the digital economy, noting that they could live and work in Nigeria while providing services to clients and employers around the world.

According to him, such an arrangement would generate foreign exchange inflows, tax revenues and expand Nigeria’s skills and knowledge base.

He described the campaign as a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on job creation, economic diversification, skills development, global integration and youth empowerment.

Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the government was implementing reforms to ensure that Nigerian graduates and professionals possessed the skills and certifications required by employers globally.

Alausa said the ministry was strengthening quality assurance and undertaking accreditation reforms across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

He added that the government was establishing centres of excellence and equipping technical and engineering institutions with modern facilities to provide students with practical and industry-relevant skills.

“The Ministry of Education’s commitment is wherever in the world, whoever in the world wants to hire, we want Nigerians to be trained, certified and ready for the hire,” he said.

The minister disclosed that more than 250,000 young Nigerians had benefited from technical, vocational and other industry-relevant skills training over the last three years.

He also highlighted increased admission capacity in nursing, medicine, pharmacy and dentistry as part of efforts to expand the country’s skilled workforce.