The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has declared that Nigeria is ready to position its vast pool of skilled manpower as a major resource for the global economy.
Alausa made the declaration at the national launch of the Hire From Nigeria campaign, organised under the theme, “Exceptional Talent, from Nigeria, for the World.”
The minister, who attended the launch alongside the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the campaign was a bold statement to the international community that Nigeria’s greatest asset remained its people.
According to Alausa, Nigerian professionals were already making their mark globally across music, fashion, technology, healthcare and the creative industries, but the country must now build systems capable of turning that global recognition into greater economic value for Nigeria.
“Our goal is simple: to make Nigerian talent easier to discover, easier to trust and easier to hire,” he said.
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education was building the talent pipeline required to drive the initiative through an aggressive expansion of skills development and digital education.
He listed the revitalised Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, Digital Training Academy (DTA), AWS Academy and other skills-development initiatives as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with globally relevant and industry-recognised qualifications.
Alausa said the initiatives would not only prepare young Nigerians for employment but also strengthen domestic industries and enhance the country’s ability to compete in the international labour and services market.
He linked the talent-development drive to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition of transforming Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy, stressing that a globally competitive workforce would be central to achieving the target.
The minister commended Oduwole and the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) team for spearheading the Hire From Nigeria campaign, while also acknowledging the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation for its efforts to project Nigeria’s transformation story.
He equally praised Tech4Dev and other development and private-sector partners supporting the initiative.
Alausa described the campaign as a demonstration of President Tinubu’s “One Government Approach,” with ministries and partners working together to develop Nigerian talent, expand opportunities and make the country’s workforce more accessible to the global economy.
He said the message from Nigeria was clear: the country is not merely seeking opportunities for its people abroad but is building the capacity to supply exceptional Nigerian talent to the world.
