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

• The Nigerian government has relaunched the National Talent Export Programme, aiming to tap into the $trn global outsourcing market
• The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, said at the relaunch that it is a continuation of a vision to make Nigeria a global leader
• She disclosed that Nigeria is boosting the infrastructure, systems, and policy tools necessary for an inclusive and innovation-driven future

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.

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.

Nigeria moves to boost infrastructure with NATEP

“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,” Jumoke Oduwole, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said. 

According to her, with digital transformation firmly embedded in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic vision, Nigeria is boosting 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.

NATEP to focus on connecting Nigerians to the global market

Under the leadership of 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 one million direct export-linked jobs and up to five million indirect jobs within five years. 

Also, 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.

FG appoints National Coordinator

As part of this relaunch, Teju Abisoye has been appointed as the National Coordinator of NATEP. 

A development finance expert with over two decades of experience, Abisoye 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, Abisoye noted that the 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.

NATEP is an SPV

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

• Training 10 million Nigerians in globally recognized digital and professional certifications
• Incentivising BPO and IT-enabled service companies to expand operations in Nigeria
• Creating legal and ethical pathways for talent export in alignment with global labour 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 signs 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.

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.”

How to receive FG’s $100,000 2025 Creative Development Fund

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian government has launched phase one of the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF) to provide sustainable financing for the country’s growing creative and cultural sectors.

The fund, which was recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), was officially announced by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.

The fund aims to empower several sectors, positioning Nigeria as a global player and leader in creative industries.

Source: Legit.ng