FG Seals Deal To Boost Talent Export

The federal government, through the Office of the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UTEL Ltd, a Nigerian subsidiary of Unique Agency Kuwait. This partnership aims to create foreign employment opportunities for Nigerians in Kuwait, other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and Scandinavian nations.

The MoU signing ceremony, held yesterday in Abuja, was supervised by the minister of industry, trade, and investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite. She highlighted that this agreement represents a major milestone in the government’s ongoing efforts to secure quality employment for Nigerians.

The MoU includes a “1+2” approach: for every Nigerian selected for a foreign job through NATEP, the partners will also connect an outsourced role to the Nigerian BPO sector and support the training of another Nigerian to bolster the local workforce.

At the event, it was announced that 250 foreign job openings were now available for Nigerians.

The initiative aims to enable Nigeria to export its talent in a dignified and mutually beneficial manner, addressing illegal migration and enhancing the country’s reputation.

Prominent dignitaries at the ceremony included Mr. Athbi Hussein Al Awadi from Kuwait, Mr. Tahir Saleh Hashim from Oman, and Advokat Torgeir Knutsen from Norway among others.

In her closing remarks, the minister assured the partners that Nigeria is fully committed to upskilling its talent pool, which is crucial for the federal government’s industrial revitalisation plan and for providing skilled citizens for global talent opportunities.