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, 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.”