Nigeria will take its campaign to export professional and technology-enabled services to the global market to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The campaign, Hire From Nigeria, aims to convert the country's large talent pool into jobs, foreign exchange earnings, and increased participation in global value chains. A side event, themed "Impact Sourcing as a Driver of Global Trade and Inclusive Job Creation," will bring together Nigerian officials, state governors, technology leaders, and international employers.
The side event, scheduled for 9 a.m. on the margins of UNGA 81, will feature Vice President Kashim Shettima delivering the keynote address. The address, titled "Setting the global trade and impact sourcing context; Nigeria's positioning as the next outsourcing frontier," will set the tone for discussions. The event follows the national launch of Hire From Nigeria in Abuja on August 31, where the Federal Government and private-sector stakeholders pledged to connect Nigerian talent with growing international demand.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole stated that the government's priority is to translate Nigeria's talent into increased participation in global trade. The government is working with the private sector to connect Nigerian professionals and service providers with international demand. The goal is to deliver commercial opportunities, expand services exports, and create jobs in Nigeria. This initiative is a public-private collaboration championed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
The campaign has attracted notable participants, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, and Minister of Education Maruf Tunji Alausa. Other participants include Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission Bisoye Coker-Odusote, Itana co-founder and Executive Chairman Luqman Edu, and Mastercard Foundation Nigeria Country Director Rosy Fynn. They will engage directly with international businesses on opportunities arising from Nigeria's expanding talent and services capacity.
According to Joel Ogunsola, co-founder and President of Tech4Dev, the campaign is designed to shift the focus from the size of Nigeria's workforce to the value that Nigerian talent could generate internationally. Nigeria has a diverse talent base capable of competing for opportunities in the global economy. The campaign aims to make Nigeria easier for global businesses to discover and connect international companies with Nigerian talent and services.
The organisers believe that connecting Nigerian talent and services with international demand could increase services exports and foreign exchange earnings while supporting business expansion and job creation. The campaign will also seek to turn interest generated during the UNGA engagement into sustained commercial relationships between Nigerian professionals and companies and businesses in international markets. This is the next phase of Hire From Nigeria, moving from awareness-building to creating commercial relationships.
The Hire From Nigeria campaign is a private-sector-led coalition led by Tech4Dev and Univelcity, working with global business process outsourcing operators and international clients. The campaign's objectives are to create more pathways for Nigerians and Nigerian businesses to participate in the global economy and make Nigerian talent more visible to businesses and markets that need them. The initiative has the potential to drive economic growth and create jobs in Nigeria.
Key points
- Nigeria to promote talent export at UNGA 81 to create jobs and foreign exchange earnings
- The campaign aims to connect Nigerian professionals and service providers with international demand
- The initiative is a public-private collaboration championed by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment
