One year on, NATEP pushes Nigeria into global talent export race

One year after its strategic relaunch, the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) is beginning to reshape Nigeria’s position in the global services economy through policy reforms, institutional coordination and expanding international partnerships aimed at turning the country’s large workforce into a major export asset.

At the centre of the programme’s progress is the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the National Coordination Mechanism for Services Exports (NCMSE) in November 2025, a move widely regarded as a turning point in Nigeria’s effort to build a structured and competitive services export industry.

The mechanism provides a formal governance framework designed to align government agencies, talent development programmes and private-sector stakeholders under a single national strategy. It is expected to improve coordination among institutions such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Outsource To Nigeria Initiative (OTNI), and the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme.

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The significance of the NCMSE goes beyond administration. By bringing previously fragmented initiatives under one umbrella, the framework is laying the foundation for Nigeria to compete more effectively in a global economy increasingly driven by knowledge, technology and digital services.

The programme recorded another milestone with the launch of the Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network (NTAN) in Lagos in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF). The initiative, co-chaired by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Education, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Flour Mills of Nigeria, formally integrates Nigeria into the WEF Global Accelerators Network.

The development is expected to strengthen collaboration between government, businesses and development partners on workforce development and skills planning.

Speaking on the broader vision behind the programme, Jumoke Oduwole, the minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said the global economy is increasingly being shaped by countries that can develop talent, build knowledge-based industries and participate in high-value services markets.

According to her, Africa has a unique opportunity to become a major contributor to the global talent economy, while NATEP is positioning Nigeria to play a leading role through strategic partnerships, human capital development and stronger integration into international services trade.

Beyond policy reforms, NATEP has also intensified international engagement. Under the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Survey, Nigeria activated a country-partner mandate to mobilise senior business leaders and ensure the country’s labour market realities are reflected in global workforce assessments and competitiveness benchmarks.

The programme is also developing an innovative financing framework aimed at supporting talent development and export-led growth. The proposed model combines public-sector funding with outcomes-based private capital, creating a structure that could attract investment into skills development while ensuring measurable employment outcomes.

Further strengthening Nigeria’s outsourcing ambitions, NATEP partnered with the Nigeria Outsourcing Association and global business services stakeholders to align industry practices with international standards. The effort is expected to improve Nigeria’s attractiveness as a destination for business process outsourcing and other technology-enabled services.

On the policy front, a zero draft of the National Outsourcing Policy was submitted to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in March 2026 for inter-ministerial review. The proposed policy is expected to provide regulatory clarity and establish a framework for scaling Nigeria’s outsourcing sector.

The programme has also advanced implementation plans across its technical working groups focused on demand, supply and enabling environment. These groups have validated talent development pathways and created structures intended to strengthen workforce readiness and export competitiveness.

One of the most strategic developments has been the adoption of World Trade Organisation and General Agreement on Trade in Services (WTO/GATS) standards for classifying services exports. NATEP has identified five priority sectors for growth: Software and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Data and Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Financial Technology (Fintech), and Business Process Outsourcing/IT Enabled Services (BPO/ITES).

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These sectors represent some of the fastest-growing segments of the global digital economy and offer Nigeria significant opportunities to earn foreign exchange without relying solely on traditional exports.

National Coordinator of NATEP, Teju Abisoye, said the programme’s mission is to position Nigeria as a leading global talent hub through policy support, partnerships, platforms and promotion.

He noted that progress recorded over the past year has moved the programme closer to its long-term objectives, including the creation of one million direct export-linked jobs, millions of indirect employment opportunities, increased investment inflows and broader access to globally recognised skills and certifications for Nigerians.

As NATEP enters its second year, attention is shifting from institution-building to large-scale execution. Key priorities include operationalising the private-sector-backed financing framework, securing approval for the National Outsourcing Policy and fully activating the Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network.

Analysts believe the next phase will determine whether Nigeria can translate policy momentum into measurable economic gains. If successfully implemented, NATEP could help diversify export earnings, reduce unemployment and establish Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading suppliers of digital and professional services to the global market.

With global demand for skilled digital talent continuing to rise, the programme represents a strategic attempt to convert Nigeria’s demographic advantage into a sustainable source of jobs, investment and foreign exchange earnings.