Connect with us

General News

Nigeria Relaunches National Talent Export Programme to Unlock $1 Trillion Global Outsourcing Market

Published

on

Kindly share this post

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has announced the relaunch of the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), a bold initiative led by the Honourable Minister, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

The renewed programme is designed to tap into the $1 trillion global outsourcing industry by positioning Nigeria’s youth as a world-class talent pool for digital and professional services.

“What we celebrate today is not merely the launch of a program; it represents the continuation of a vision to position Nigeria as a global leader in the future of work and services,” said Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

“With digital transformation firmly embedded in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic vision, Nigeria is enhancing the infrastructure, systems, and policy tools necessary for an inclusive and innovation-driven future.”

In alignment with President Tinubu’s 8-point agenda, NATEP is designed to empower Nigeria’s youth, harness global service export opportunities, and drive inclusive economic transformation. With a youthful, English-speaking population, a strategic time zone, and rapidly advancing digital infrastructure, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to become a competitive global supplier of skilled talent.

Under the leadership of Dr. Oduwole, NATEP represents a strategic move to diversify Nigeria’s economy, boost foreign exchange earnings, and create sustainable employment.

The programme will focus on aggregating global demand and connecting it with Nigeria’s skilled workforce through structured and ethical talent export pathways.

The Ministry’s goal is to create 1 million direct export-linked jobs and up to 5 million indirect jobs within five years.

In addition, NATEP aims to attract over $1 billion in foreign direct investment to Nigeria’s growing service export economy. This programme targets high-impact sectors such as technology, business process outsourcing (BPO), the creative economy, healthcare, professional services, and remote work.

As part of this relaunch, Mrs. Teju Abisoye has been appointed as the National Coordinator of NATEP. A development finance expert with over two decades of experience, she has led major national employment initiatives and played key roles in government interventions, entrepreneurship support, and private sector engagement.

Her leadership brings clarity, focus, and execution strength to the programme’s vision.

Speaking at the relaunch, Teju noted, “Our mandate at NATEP is to position Nigeria as Africa’s peerless global talent hub by building an enabling ecosystem through policy, platforms, promotion, and partnerships.

We would actualise this critical national objective by upskilling and enabling Nigeria’s teeming young human capital to take advantage of the $1 trillion global service trade, with soaring demand for digital services, outsourcing, and remote work.

This is one of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strategic interventions to tackle youth unemployment head-on, generate vital foreign exchange, and diversify our economy through service sector expansion”.

NATEP, a Special Purpose Vehicle under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has evolved from a basic outsourcing facilitator into a full-scale ecosystem enabler. The programme will now drive policy reform, expand digital infrastructure, strengthen international partnerships, and create reliable talent pipelines that match global standards.

Key components of NATEP include:

  • Training 10 million Nigerians in globally recognized digital and professional certifications
  • Incentivizing BPO and IT-enabled service companies to expand operations in Nigeria
  • Creating legal and ethical pathways for talent export in alignment with global labor needs
  • Building a national talent database to map skills and track employment opportunities
  • Partnering with global outsourcing platforms and employers to aggregate demand

In alignment with President Tinubu’s 8-point agenda, NATEP is designed to empower Nigeria’s youth, enhance foreign exchange earnings, and support inclusive economic transformation. With a youthful, English-speaking population, strategic time zone, and growing digital infrastructure, Nigeria is uniquely positioned to become a competitive global talent supplier.

Minister, NATEP Sign MoU with Alaro City and Itana

To mark this renewed direction, the Honourable Minister led a high-level delegation on an official visit to Alaro City, home to Itana, Nigeria’s first Digital Special Economic Zone, on Friday, May 30, 2025.

The Minister also leveraged the visit to execute a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening public-private sector collaboration and showcasing the infrastructure and innovation ecosystem that will support the programme’s success.

Dr. Oduwole stated, “I am proud to announce a significant milestone in this effort: the successful signing of a strategic agreement to create an initial 100,000 jobs across high-impact sectors — made possible through collaboration with platforms like Itana, Alaro City, and other partners to mark the beginning of a new phase of joint execution.”

 


Kindly share this post

Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Comments

General News

Bank Staff Arraigned for Allegedly Defrauding Customer of N423m

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Abiodun Maccarthy,  former bank employee, has been arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, over an alleged ₦423 million fraud involving a customer’s fixed deposit investment.

Bank Staff Arraigned for Allegedly Defrauding Customer of N423m

Maccarthy was brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, July 31, 2025.

He faces a four-count charge bordering on stealing and forgery, offences said to be in violation of Sections 278 and 361(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

According to a statement by Dele Oyewale, spokesperson, EFCC, the defendant allegedly converted ₦423 million out of a ₦650 million deposit made in 2018 by a client, Great Endurance Bureau De Change, for a fixed deposit investment.

The funds were reportedly diverted for his personal use while he was still in the bank’s employ.

To conceal the alleged fraud, Maccarthy was said to have forged a fixed deposit investment certificate bearing slip number 332540, which he issued to the client as proof of the transaction.

One of the counts reads: “Abiodun Maccarthy, sometime in 2018 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of ₦423,000,000.00 (Four Hundred and Twenty-Three Million Naira), money which forms part of ₦650,000,000.00 (Six Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) paid to you by Great Endurance Bureau De Change for fixed deposit investment while you were in the bank’s employ.”

Another count adds that he “with intent to defraud, forged a fixed deposit investment certificate with slip no. 332540 and issued same to Great Endurance Bureau De Change as evidence of investment.”

Maccarthy pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following his plea, B. M. Isah, prosecution counsel  requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

Justice Dada granted the request and adjourned the case until October 22, 2025, while ordering that Maccarthy be remanded in custody.

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

General News

Tony Elumelu Lists 3 Things Africa must do to Bridge Infrastructure Gap

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Tony Elumelu, group chairman of Heirs Holdings and UBA, has listed strengthening fiscal capacity, driving operational efficiency, and unlocking innovative financing as three key things Africa must do to truly rise and bridge its infrastructure gap.

Tony Elumelu Lists 3 Things Africa must do to Bridge Infrastructure Gap

L-r: Faustin-Archange Touadéra, president, Central African Republic; and Mr. Tony Elumelu, group chair, UBA and Heirs Holdings and Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Elumelu, also founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, urged Africa to enable the private sector to co-lead infrastructure development.

He stated all these in his keynote address at the African Caucus meeting held in Bangui, Central African Republic.

The  meeting was themed, ‘Resilient Infrastructure, Human Capital, and Green Assets’.

Elumelu highlighted that across Africa, there is a deep and persistent infrastructure divide.

“From roads to ports, power to internet connectivity, we lag behind. We cannot achieve prosperity without the foundations of modern development. Without addressing these gaps, we cannot unlock the growth and prosperity our people deserve,” he said.

He emphasised that energy access is the most critical enabler or barrier to Africa’s progress, pointing out that up to 70% of Africans still lack access to electricity.

“My home country, Nigeria, generates less than 7,000 megawatts for over 200 million people.

“If we are to industrialise, create jobs, and participate meaningfully in the global AI revolution, we must invest aggressively in energy from renewables to cleaner gas-based solutions. Imagine what Nigeria’s economy could become with 100,000 megawatts of reliable, affordable energy. That is the scale of transformation we need”, he said.

Elumelu called for a stronger role for the private sector in infrastructure delivery, citing the work of Transcorp and Heirs Energies as an example of how private capital can address public challenges.

“We are generating power, exporting it through the West African Power Pool, and using gas from our oil operations to power our plants. This is Africapitalism in action,” he said.

Africapitalism, he explained, is the belief that Africa’s private sector must lead in driving economic transformation through long-term investments that generate both economic and social returns.

But for Africapitalism to succeed, he said, strong public-private partnerships are essential.

“Governments must create the right environment. The private sector must bring capital and innovation. And our development partners must support Africa’s realities – including recognising gas as a viable transition fuel on our path to clean energy”, he added.

On Africa’s human capital, Elumelu underscored that no resource is more valuable than the continent’s people especially its youth.

“Africa is the youngest continent on earth, with over 60% of our population under 35. This presents both our greatest asset or our greatest risk,” he said. “If empowered, our youth can transform Africa. If neglected, they can become a source of instability.”

Through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, he said, over 24,000 young entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries have been empowered with non-refundable seed capital of USD5,000 each.

The foundation has also trained 1.5 million youths and catalysed 1.2 million jobs. “These entrepreneurs are creating jobs, building businesses, and changing lives,” he noted.

To conclude his address, Elumelu delivered three powerful messages.

“Africa’s development is our responsibility. No one else will do it for us. Africa’s future is in our hands. No one will build this continent for us. We must lead,” he said. “Power is everything. No industrial revolution can happen without electricity. We must prioritise energy. Without power, there can be no progress.”

And finally, “We must invest in our youth. They are not just our future, they are our present.”

He commended the growing focus of global institutions on Africa, referencing his role on the IMF Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth and expressing optimism about the renewed emphasis on job creation as a path to sustainable development.

He also praised the World Bank’s ‘Mission 300’ initiative led by President Ajay Banga, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity

“Africa is ready,” Elumelu declared. “Let’s seize this moment and build the prosperous, empowered continent our people deserve”.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

General News

Babcock VC Unveils New Horizons’ N1.5Bn ICT Centre

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Prof. Ademola Tayo, the Vice Chancellor, Babcock University, has unveiled a 2,000-seater capacity ICT Centre, built and equipped with modern ICT facilities by New Horizons, a foremost ICT Training Institute.

The three-storey building has six classrooms in each floor that can accommodate a minimum of 50 students in a class, including seat-outs, offices and halls that are fully equipped with flat-screen computers and modern ICT facilities that cut across Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics, Internet of Things (IoTs), among others.

Speaking at the unveiling, which marks part of the university’s 23rd convocation activities, the Vice Chancellor thanked New Horizons for the donation of the facility to the university community, which he said, would boost learning of new ICT skills, including AI.

“The university has been in collaboration with New Horizons for the training of our students in ICT certification courses. The reason why our students are doing very well in their studies is because of the digital literacy skills that New Horizon is offering our students. Every student from level-one takes ICT certification courses offered by New Horizon and that has helped the students to excel in their studies,” the Vice Chancellor said.

Mr. Tim Akano, CEO, New Horizons Nigeria, said: “We are not unveiling the building alone. We are also unveiling the resources inside the building. We brought in customized all-in-one systems, including some equipment for Robotics and AI. We also made provision for a garden and we are dedicating the garden to the five principal officers of the university. Each of them will plant a symbolic lemon tree that signifies health, prosperity, fidelity, cleansing, longevity, protection and love.”


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending