Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda: Alausa Pushes ‘Hire From Nigeria’ Initiative to Create Global Jobs for Youths

The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has said Nigeria is strengthening its education and skills development system to enable young people compete for international jobs and provide services to global employers without leaving the country.

Alausa stated this at the official launch of the “Hire From Nigeria” Campaign, describing the initiative as a practical demonstration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at transforming Nigeria’s large youthful population into a productive economic force.

A Statement signed by Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser ( Media and Communications) on Monday, August 31, 2026 quoted the Minister as describing the Federal Ministry of Education as building a pipeline of skilled, certified and industry-ready Nigerians capable of competing successfully in the global labour market.

According to Alausa, ongoing reforms in the education sector are placing greater emphasis on practical and skills-based learning, with over 200,000 Nigerians currently undergoing training in more than 1,200 skills acquisition centres across the country.

He explained that the training programmes are increasingly adopting an 80 per cent practical and 20 per cent theoretical model, with participants assessed and certified through relevant national skills certification processes.

Alausa also disclosed plans for a Digital Technology Academy being developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

The academy, he said, is expected to train more than 35,000 Nigerians in areas including software development, cybersecurity, IT automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, cloud computing and quantum computing.

He said the six-to-eight-month programme would provide participants with professional certifications to improve their access to international technology opportunities.

The minister added that partnerships with global technology firms, including Amazon Web Services, were expanding digital training opportunities in Nigerian tertiary institutions, with nearly 50 institutions already enrolled in the AWS Online Academy.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, formally announced the launch of the Hire From Nigeria Campaign, describing it as a market-focused initiative designed to connect Nigerian talent and service providers with international employers, outsourcing companies and investors.

Oduwole said the campaign, implemented through the National Talent Export Programme in collaboration with private sector and development partners, was targeting one million export-linked jobs by 2030.

She said Nigeria already possesses a large professional workforce, an expanding technology ecosystem, a strong services sector and a strategic time zone, adding that the focus was to convert these advantages into international contracts, export earnings and investments.

According to her, NATEP, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, has developed a digital services survey and directory mapping Nigerian service providers across 17 sectors.

She disclosed that more than 90 per cent of businesses surveyed are headquartered in Nigeria, while 41 per cent of digital entrepreneurs are below the age of 35.

She added that established firms already serve an average of 2.6 international markets.

Oduwole further announced that the Hire From Nigeria campaign would be presented to the international market during the 81st United Nations General Assembly on September 24 at the Nigerian House in New York.

She said the event would provide an opportunity for global employers, Business Process Outsourcing buyers, investors and strategic partners to explore opportunities for hiring Nigerian talent, awarding contracts and making investments.

On his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the initiative reflected the changing nature of global trade, where knowledge, skills, creativity and professional services could now be delivered across borders without the movement of physical goods.

Idris pledged the support of his ministry in promoting the campaign nationally and internationally, noting that Nigeria’s youthful population, English-language proficiency, entrepreneurial culture and growing technology and creative industries were major advantages in the global services economy.

Former Minister and Special Guest at the event, Dr. Sunday Dare, commended Alausa for the progress recorded in the education sector and the growing shift from predominantly theoretical learning towards practical and technical skills development.

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

Dare described education as a critical tool for poverty reduction and economic transformation.

Also speaking, the Senior Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and NATEP in the Office of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olajumoke Dan-Okayi, said the programme was establishing institutional structures to expand Nigeria’s participation in talent and services exports.

She identified the National Coordination Mechanism for Services Exports, the Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network and Nigeria’s participation as a Country Partner for the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2026 as key components of the initiative.

Dan-Okayi added that the proposed National Outsourcing Policy, expected in November 2026, would further strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in Business Process Outsourcing, Global Business Services and digitally delivered work.

The Founder and President of Tech4Dev, Mr. Joel Ogunsola, said Nigeria had produced professionals and skilled workers contributing significantly to economies across the world but had yet to sufficiently commercialise the value of its talent.

He said the Hire From Nigeria initiative would address challenges relating to discoverability, trust and access by creating clearer pathways for graduates, technically trained workers, digital professionals, non-graduates and creatives to secure international opportunities while remaining in Nigeria.

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 private sector and development partners.

Alausa assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to deepen reforms aimed at making education more practical, industry-responsive and aligned with the changing world of work.

He said the administration of President Tinubu remained committed to building a skilled, productive and globally connected workforce capable of creating value within Nigeria while contributing meaningfully to the international economy.