By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.
The Federal Government has unveiled the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign, an initiative designed to position the country as a global hub for skilled talent, professional services and digitally delivered services.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, unveiled the campaign on Monday at an official press conference held at Radio House, Abuja, alongside the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and other stakeholders.
Idris said the initiative marked an important step in Nigeria’s efforts to place its human capital at the centre of the country’s economic engagement with the global community.
According to him, global trade has moved beyond the traditional export of physical commodities such as crude oil, agricultural produce, solid minerals and manufactured goods, with knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services increasingly crossing international borders digitally.
He described “Hire from Nigeria” as 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, Tech-for-Dev and other domestic and international private-sector partners.
The Minister said the campaign was designed to make Nigeria a preferred global destination for skilled talent and digitally delivered services.
Idris noted that Nigeria possesses several advantages that could enable it to compete effectively in the global talent economy, including its large youthful population, growing pool of skilled professionals, entrepreneurial culture, English-language proficiency, favourable time zone and expanding capabilities in technology, creative services and business support.
However, he stressed that possessing talent alone was insufficient, saying global employers must be made aware of Nigeria’s capabilities and have confidence in the quality and professionalism of Nigerian workers and businesses.
He said this was where the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation would play a critical role.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that the story of Nigerian talent is told clearly, credibly and consistently,” Idris said.
He assured that the ministry would deploy its communication platforms, agencies and partnerships to give the campaign the visibility required both within Nigeria and internationally.
The Minister said the campaign would culminate in a global launch during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, providing Nigeria with an opportunity to showcase its human capital and professional capabilities to the international community.
He said the government would use the initiative to communicate directly with employers, investors and businesses worldwide that Nigeria is open for business and has talented people ready to compete, collaborate and contribute to the global marketplace.
Idris also urged young Nigerians to take advantage of opportunities in the modern economy, stressing that geographical location should no longer prevent Nigerians from participating in the global workforce.
He explained that with the right skills, infrastructure, professional standards and access to international markets, Nigerians could live and work in the country while delivering services to clients and employers across the world.
According to him, such an arrangement would generate foreign exchange inflows, increase tax revenues and strengthen Nigeria’s skills and knowledge base.
The Minister linked the initiative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on job creation, economic diversification, skills development, global integration and youth empowerment.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had set an ambition of creating one million export-linked jobs over five years as part of its strategy to transform Nigeria into a major hub for talent and services exports.
Idris, however, emphasised that achieving the target would require sustained collaboration between government and the private sector, training institutions and employers, technology companies and young professionals, as well as stronger connections between Nigeria and international markets.
He said the future of the Nigerian economy would increasingly depend on the talent, creativity, skills and productivity of its people.
“Nigeria is ready to compete on the global stage. Nigerian talent is ready to work. And the world should look to Nigeria,” he declared.
Idris commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, the NATEP team, Tech-for-Dev, iDICE and other partners for their contributions towards making the campaign successful.
He urged stakeholders to ensure that “Hire from Nigeria” becomes more than a campaign, but a global invitation to discover the skills, creativity, professionalism and enormous potential of Nigerians.
