At the Hire From Nigeria global launch, the address delivered on behalf of Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, was presented by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Federation.
Rosy Fynn, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation, a coalition partner, speaking at the Hire from Nigeria Global Launch
Federal Government targets one million export-linked jobs by 2030 through Hire From Nigeria and other private sector-led initiatives, up from about 20,000 today
While much of the industrialised world grows older, and… wonders who will fill the productivity vacuum, Nigeria produces yearly a new generation of digitally fluent,… ambitious young men and women”— Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, September 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, has announced that Nigeria stands ready to satisfy the worldwide need for skilled workers, with an ambitious initial goal of creating one million export-linked jobs by 2030. His remarks came during the official global rollout of the Hire From Nigeria initiative.
Held on 24 September in New York, the event took place alongside the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, delivered the keynote address on behalf of the Vice President, who stated:
“While much of the industrialised world grows older, and quietly wonders who will fill the productivity vacuum, Nigeria produces, every single year, a new generation of digitally fluent, English-speaking, ambitious young men and women, ready to serve the world from the home front and from a time zone that is convenient for almost every continent.”
He went on to say: “The global market for outsourced services will be worth over a trillion dollars in a few years’ time. It is, in truth, one of the great transfers of opportunity in modern economic history, and Africa’s share of it remains barely a rounding error. And so I put it to you plainly: Nigeria is the next frontier for global outsourcing.”
Hire From Nigeria is a campaign driven by the private sector with government backing, designed to showcase Nigeria as a top-tier global provider of talent, services, and tech-enabled solutions. It aims to link Nigerian professionals, skilled labourers, digital specialists, creatives, and service providers with employers, clients, and markets worldwide. Following its national debut in Abuja on 31 August 2026, the campaign was officially introduced to the global stage in New York.
The initiative seeks to simplify the process for international firms to find Nigerian talent, establish secure connections between global businesses and Nigeria’s workforce and value chain prospects, and boost the nation’s involvement in the international economy.
Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, remarked, “Hire From Nigeria brings together four of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s priorities: youth, job creation, services and digital trade. We are reshaping the talent pipeline, working together across government and the private sector to take full advantage of the opportunity that lies ahead.”
Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, acknowledged that Nigeria overlooked the initial outsourcing wave 25 to 30 years ago and is resolved to seize the current opportunity. Emphasising education as crucial to Nigeria’s goal of reaching a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030, he noted that ongoing reforms are intended to “change the value chain of education, so that people are not just learning for the sake of learning, they’re learning to provide solutions and learning to earn.”
Joel Ogunsola, President and co-founder of Tech4Dev, highlighted that Africa’s outsourcing sector is expanding at a rate three times faster than comparable global markets. He described the campaign as building on “an already existing and growing effort,” pointing out that domestic and international outsourcing companies currently employ an estimated 20,000 Nigerians across fields such as customer and business operations, technology and data, and specialised and regulated services.
“Nigeria’s investment in skills has to be demand-driven, talent must be easy to find, we must build trust, and we must then match the talent to jobs,” he said. “If you’re an international business looking to set up and hire in Nigeria, Hire From Nigeria will support you.”
Rosy Fynn, Country Director for Nigeria at the Mastercard Foundation, explained that the Foundation’s strategy for developing Nigeria’s talent pipeline is “not to train first and look for jobs, but instead to understand what the market is looking for, and provide the training and talent to fit the need.”
Luqman Edu, co-founder and Executive Chairman of Itana, an Africa Finance Corporation-backed company developing Nigeria’s inaugural digital free zone, stated: “This is a very exciting time for Nigeria, and we invite global companies to look at Nigerian talent. Nigeria has the talent, and we are providing the infrastructure to ensure this talent can solve the world’s problems at competitive pricing.”
Yinka Adegboye, Divisional Head of Multilaterals at the Bank of Industry Limited (BOI), representing the Managing Director/CEO, Dr Olasupo Olusi, reaffirmed the Bank’s dedication to fostering Nigeria’s young entrepreneurial talent – the foundation of Hire From Nigeria – via programmes like the Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises initiative (iDICE).
Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), detailed legislative and operational changes aimed at enhancing digital trust in Nigeria by introducing digital credentials “that are verifiable locally and internationally,” providing confidence to employers both domestically and abroad.
The launch saw significant engagement from the private sector, featuring executives from outsourcing, financial services, manufacturing, education, and healthcare industries, as well as development partners.
Leadership from various federal agencies was also present, highlighting the government’s unified support for the campaign. Attendees included representatives from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) and Galaxy Backbone Limited.
Hire From Nigeria is a coalition effort championed by Tech4Dev and Univelcity, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment via the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP). It receives support from the Federal Ministry of Education, the Bank of Industry through iDICE, and the Mastercard Foundation, along with other government bodies, development partners, and private sector stakeholders. The campaign links Nigerian professionals, skilled workers, digital experts, creatives, and service providers with international employers, clients, and markets, paving the way for Nigeria’s deeper integration into the global economy.
ENDS
Oluwatoyin Ashipa
Hire From Nigeria
+234 803 328 2663
Oluwatoyin.Ashipa@hirefromnigeria.org
