The Federal Government has said it is working to connect graduates of its digital and technical skills programmes directly to global employment opportunities through the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and position Nigerian talent for the global digital economy.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while outlining the ministry’s strategy to ensure that skills acquisition translates into meaningful employment for young Nigerians.
According to the minister, skills development has remained a top priority of the Federal Ministry of Education since the current administration assumed office.
“Since taking office, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Said Ahmad, our major focus has been skills because skills are the future,” Alausa said.
He said the ministry’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative has recorded strong participation, attracting more than 2.6 million applications across its first and second cohorts.
The minister revealed that more than 100,000 trainees completed six-month industry-focused technical and vocational training under the first cohort, while over 70,000 participants are currently undergoing training in the second cohort, with programmes lasting between six and 12 months depending on their chosen trade.
“Our TVET initiative attracted over 2.6 million applications across its first and second cohorts. In the first cohort alone, over 100,000 trainees completed six-month trainings in industry-relevant technical and vocational skills,” he said.
Alausa also announced that the ministry is finalising plans to launch a Digital Training Academy in partnership with the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
He said the academy will equip Nigerians with practical digital and technology skills needed to compete in the global workforce.
“We are now finalising plans for the roll-out of our Digital Training Academy, which will partner with the 3MTT initiative to deliver practical technology skills at various levels,” the minister said.
The minister, however, stressed that training alone is not enough without clear pathways to employment.
“Training without a destination is a dead end. A certificate that sits in a drawer means nothing. A job means everything,” he stated.
To bridge that gap, Alausa said his ministry recently met with the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) team to develop a framework that will enable graduates of the Digital Training Academy and other skilled Nigerians to access international job opportunities through NATEP’s “Hire from Nigeria” campaign.
“This week, my team and I sat down with the National Talent Export Programme team to map a real pathway that lets trainees from our Digital Training Academy, as well as other skilled Nigerians, plug straight into the global market through NATEP’s ‘Hire from Nigeria’ campaign,” he said.
Although the initiative is still in the planning stage, the minister assured that implementation would begin quickly.
“We are still in the initial stages of planning, but we plan to turn this around really quickly because we are more about doing and not just talking,” Alausa said.
He noted that the global economy is increasingly digital and borderless, creating opportunities for skilled workers to secure international jobs without leaving their home countries.
“The world’s economy is going digital and borderless. Talent no longer needs to relocate to compete globally,” he said.
Alausa added that while Nigeria possesses one of the world’s largest youth populations with immense talent, the country must build systems that connect skilled Nigerians to global opportunities.
“Nigeria has one of the youngest, most energetic populations on earth. We are not short on talent; we are short on the systems that connect the two. That’s the gap we aim to close,” he said.
The minister commended the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and the National Talent Export Programme team for coordinating efforts among government agencies, employers and training providers.
He said the collaboration would help create sustainable employment opportunities for Nigerians while boosting the country’s participation in the global digital economy.
“Our goal is simple: bring the world to employ from Nigeria. Let our people export their work while they stay home, build their families and build this country,” Alausa said.