The Federal Government on Monday launched the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign, an initiative aimed at promoting the export of Nigerian knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services to global markets.

The campaign seeks to connect Nigerian professionals with international opportunities and position the country as a preferred source of skilled talent and digitally delivered services.

The global launch of the initiative is scheduled to take place during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking at the official presentation of the campaign, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described Nigeria’s human capital as the country’s greatest national asset.

Idris said Nigerians, equipped with the right skills, infrastructure, professional standards and access to international markets, could live, work and earn while providing services to clients and employers around the world. NigerianBusiness Directory

The minister spoke alongside the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole.

Idris said the initiative was designed not only to develop Nigerian talent but also to ensure that the global market was aware of the skills available in the country. NigerianBusiness Directory

“Today is an important step in Nigeria’s efforts to position one of our greatest national assets, our people, at the centre of our economic engagement with the world.

He noted that Nigeria’s export discussions had traditionally focused on physical commodities such as crude 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.

“Hire from Nigeria” is a model public-private collaboration whose key stakeholders and champions include the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), the Bank of Industry’s iDICE programme, as well as domestic and international private sector players. It is designed to position Nigeria as a preferred global source of skilled talent and digitally delivered services.”

“Indeed, Nigeria is very well placed to compete in the rapidly evolving global economy of the 21st century. We have a large and youthful population, a growing pool of world-class professionals, a strong entrepreneurial culture, strong English-language proficiency, a favourable time zone, and increasing capabilities in technology, creative services, business support and other digitally delivered services.”

He, however, warned that having talent is not enough, saying that “The world must know that talent exists, and must have confidence in the quality of our professionals and businesses. That is why communication is central to this Campaign, and is where the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation comes in.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that the story of Nigerian talent is told clearly, credibly and consistently. Through our communication platforms, agencies and partnerships, we will support efforts to give the campaign the visibility it deserves, both within Nigeria and internationally.”

He also added, “As activities build towards the Campaign’s global launch during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, this initiative presents Nigeria with another opportunity to show the world that our greatest resource is our human talent and capacity.

“We will leverage the “Hire from Nigeria Campaign” to speak directly to employers, investors and businesses around the world: affirming that Nigeria is open for business, and that Nigeria has talented people ready to compete, collaborate and contribute in today’s global marketplace.

“We will also speak directly to young Nigerians, and remind them that the opportunities of the modern economy are no longer limited by geography. 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, with Nigeria benefiting from foreign exchange inflows, tax revenues, and an expanded skills and knowledge base.”

Idris said the campaign is a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and its focus on job creation, economic diversification, skills development, global integration, and empowering young Nigerians.

“Under the President’s vision and leadership, the Federal Government has unveiled a strategy to make Nigeria a major hub for talent and services exports, with the ambition of creating one million export-linked jobs over five years,” he said.

He noted that the task “now is to turn ambition into opportunity, and “Hire from Nigeria” will be at the vanguard of that effort. But it will require close cooperation among the government and the private sector; among training institutions and employers; among technology companies and young professionals; and between Nigeria and international markets.

“The future of Nigeria’s economy will increasingly be driven by the talent, creativity, skills and productivity of our people.

“The message of today is therefore simple: Nigeria is ready to compete on the global stage. Nigerian talent is ready to work. And the world should look to Nigeria.”

He commended his counterparts and all other partners working to make this campaign a success.

He charged them to “work together to ensure that “Hire from Nigeria” becomes more than a campaign. Let it become a global Invitation to discover the skills, creativity, professionalism and enormous potential of the Nigerian people.”

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in his remarks, said the country had a unique demographic in the world, which the President is working towards turning into a demographic dividend

“About 220 million people. Of those 220 million people, over 70% are below the age of 30 years old. So, we have two choices. Either we turn this into a demographic dividend, or it becomes a demographic catastrophe.

“But there’s one thing I want you to know. This President Bola Tinubu is on the path of turning this virtual demography into a demographic dividend.

He explained that “Hire from Nigeria” is about human capital development.”

He therefore said, “We at the Ministry of Education, we’re responsible for the supply side of this project. We’re responsible for producing industry-ready, globally competitive talent that this programme will be built on. The ministry’s role is not just producing graduates, but producing graduates who can compete for and hold jobs with international employers right here in Nigeria.

“We know we’re inventing the world. We want young Nigerians to work here, get jobs, to start this company in Singapore, Hong Kong, London, Germany, or work in Nigeria. We need to turn this into another major contributor to our GDP.”

He added, “It’s called outsourcing, but the new word now is Business Process Outsourcing. Now, what have we done in the Ministry of Education to actually support and to ensure that President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of Higher for Nigeria becomes part of the engine that drives our GDP? We’ve done a significant curriculum review, and we’ve moved quickly to do that at every level of our education. From primary school, junior secondary school, senior secondary school, and more importantly, in church and education.

We’ve moved from theory-based learning to more practice-based learning. We’ve seen what we’ve done, and we’ve achieved that agenda. We’ve been able to democratise and liberalise T-Bear training across the country.

“We now have over 200,000 Nigerians being trained in over 1,200 skill training centres. We’ve turned our T-Bear training; we’ve moved it from theoretical training to practical training, where we now have about 80% practical training and 20% theoretical training. So when these students graduate, they have these skills.

He also said students will get SQL certification upon completion of their training.

“This is also to support the “Hire from Nigeria” agenda.

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

“We’re putting a complete platform together to support the youth of this country”.

He also added, “And the transition we have needed as a country was to move from theory to practical. We are following the Asian example, where universities that only taught theory, over 200 of them, were shut down, and technical schools were brought up. We’re at a point in which 250,000 of our young people are now taking technical training for free.

On her part, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Oduwole, said that the campaign is about positioning Nigeria’s talent before the world.

“Positioning Nigeria as a trusted global destination for talent and services. This campaign gives practical expression to President Bola Tinubu’s agenda. By turning Nigeria’s demographic strength into jobs, export earnings and investment.

This, she said, is to ensure that more Nigerians participate in and benefit from the global economy.

“With the ambition to enable 1 million export jobs by 2030. We have deliberately moved the talent export conversation to a demand-led services export strategy,” she said.

Oduwole also disclosed that Nigeria’s first national outsourcing policy is scheduled to launch in November 2026.

She noted, “We already have professionals. A strong services base across relevant sectors. A growing technology ecosystem. And a time zone well suited to African and European markets and beyond. “The task now is to turn this capacity into contracts. By organising our talent pipeline. Meeting international standards and consistently delivering quality, reliability and value.

As the African Continental Free Trade Area digital trade co-champion. And chair of the bureau of the AFCFTA Council of Ministers responsible for trade.

She assured that Nigeria will continue working to translate digital trade into contracts, exports, and jobs across Africa and global markets.

“Hire from Nigeria”, according to her, is therefore much more than a communications campaign. It is a national economic proposition. 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.” (The Nation)