Why Nigeria Must Equip Youths For Global Employment Opportunities – Alausa

By Gabi Hibbatullah, Abuja.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has called for stronger alignment between Nigeria’s education and skills development system and the growing demand for Nigerian talent in the global economy.

Alausa made the call at the official launch of the “Hire From Nigeria” Campaign, saying young Nigerians must be equipped with the skills, certifications and practical experience required to secure international employment and deliver services to global employers while working from Nigeria.

The Minister described the initiative as a practical expression of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that Nigeria’s youthful population could be transformed into a productive economic asset through relevant education and skills development.

He disclosed that more than 200,000 Nigerians are currently undergoing training across over 1,200 skills training centres, noting that the programmes increasingly adopt an 80 per cent practical and 20 per cent theoretical model, with trainees assessed and certified through relevant national skills certification processes.

Alausa also highlighted the planned Digital Technology Academy, being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, which is expected to train more than 35,000 Nigerians in software development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, IT automation, natural language processing and quantum computing.

According to him, the six-to-eight-month programme will provide professional certifications to improve participants’ access to international technology opportunities, while partnerships with global technology companies, including Amazon Web Services, are expanding digital training in tertiary institutions, with nearly 50 institutions already onboarded onto the AWS Online Academy.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, formally announced the Hire From Nigeria Campaign, describing it as a market-facing initiative designed to position Nigerian talent and services before international employers, outsourcing companies and investors.

Oduwole said the campaign, implemented through the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) in partnership with private-sector and development partners, is targeting one million export-linked jobs by 2030, adding that Nigeria’s growing technology ecosystem, professional workforce and services sector provide a strong foundation for achieving the target.

She disclosed that NATEP, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, had developed a digital services survey and directory mapping Nigerian service providers across 17 sectors. She added that more than 90 per cent of the businesses surveyed are headquartered in Nigeria, while 41 per cent of digital entrepreneurs are below 35 years.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the campaign reflected the changing nature of international trade, where knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services could be delivered across borders without the movement of physical goods. He pledged his ministry’s support in promoting the initiative nationally and internationally.

Former Minister and Special Guest, Dr Sunday Dare, commended the education reforms, particularly the shift from predominantly theoretical learning to practical and technical skills.

He said Nigeria’s young and technology-driven population could build globally competitive technology and outsourcing industries if effectively trained and connected to international markets.

The Founder and President of Tech4Dev, Mr Joel Ogunsola, said Nigeria had produced professionals and skilled workers contributing to economies around the world but had not sufficiently commercialised the value of its talent.

He said the campaign would address challenges around discoverability, trust and access for graduates, technical workers, digital professionals, non-graduates and creatives.

The campaign brings together the Federal Ministries of Education; Industry, Trade and Investment; Information and National Orientation; Labour and Employment; and Foreign Affairs, alongside NATEP, Tech4Dev, the Bank of Industry’s iDICE programme, universities and other partners.