The federal government on Tuesday said discussions were at advanced stage with Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and other countries to create more employment opportunities for Nigerians.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi disclosed this to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to the minister, the initiative was part of the government’s plan to address unemployment through skill development, modern vocational training and strategic international partnerships.
Dingyadi revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had already been signed with one country, while talks with others were at advanced stages.
He assured Nigerians that the government remained committed to creating a secure, fair and competitive work environment while leveraging both domestic reforms and international partnerships to boost employment and productivity.
“We are not just training Nigerians for export, we are training them to represent our country well and also to ensure that we benefit from their work abroad, both financially and otherwise,” he said.
He added that, “This is a two-way programme, while we send out skilled Nigerians, some of their people will also come here. It’s about mutual benefit,” he said.
Reflecting on his nine months in office, Dingyadi said the ministry has achieved a stable workforce over the months except for a short warning strike by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.
He credited this to constant dialogue, a listening approach to workers’ concerns and strengthened partnerships with trade unions.
The minister also pointed to increased momentum in skill acquisition programmes with many Nigerians trained in vocational skills and another completing various job-readiness programmes.
He stressed a shift from outdated training tools to modern technology-driven skills such as ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and green energy.
“We are moving away from the old method of giving people equipment packs at the end of training, which many sell off, instead, we are focusing on skills they can monetise, skills they can even use on a phone to earn money and employ others,” he explained.
The minister stressed the importance of equipping Nigerians with skills relevant to the global digital economy, noting that the ministry was actively working with partners to integrate AI, green economy and digital literacy training into its programmes.
“We have no alternative than to go AI, technology is the future and Nigeria must be ready to compete globally,” he said.
Dingyadi again dismissed claims that the newly approved National Industrial Relations Policy seeks to criminalise strike actions.
According to him, the new policy which was developed in consultation with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other stakeholders, emphasises sustained engagement between workers, employers and government, using dialogue as a first line of action to prevent disputes from escalating into prolonged work stoppages.
“Far from preventing strikes, the policy is there to ensure peace and cordial relations between government, employers and workers,” he said.
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