Adams Oshiomhole, the chairman Senate Committee on Interior, has expressed concerns over the increasing number of expatriates taking over jobs Nigerians qualify to do.
The senator expressed this concern on Wednesday during the Ministry of Interior 2025 budget defence before his committee at the National Assembly.
Oshiomhole lamented that foreigners are now managers in many supermarkets in Abuja, Lagos and other major cities in the country, while qualified Nigerians remain unemployed.
The former president of the Nigerian Labour Congress recalled his struggles with companies importing expatriates to take over local opportunities during his tenure.
According to the former Edo governor, foreign technicians have taken over our engineering sector while Nigerian engineers are working in restaurants abroad.
“No country in the world, not America, not China, not Europe that allows all manners of people to come… And they are given visas or green cards whatever it is to reside in the country,” the Edo senator said.
“Just visit some of the commercial centres in Abuja, you will find expatriates selling chairs, tables, bread, and making bakeries. I don’t want to mention their nationalities…They are jobs Nigerians can do, jobs Nigerians have been doing.”
“All the gains of indigenisation, Nigerianisation…As a union leader, I fought many employers when they sought to import expatriates to do jobs Nigerians can do.”
“You are too generous in issuing permits for expatriates to do jobs Nigerians can do.”
Reacting to Oshiomhole’s concerns, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the minister of interior, stated that the majority of the expatriates lack the necessary work permits to be in Nigeria, primarily due to complications related to Nigeria’s dual visa system and various other immigration concerns that he is unable to discuss publicly.
He added that national security and unemployment problems can’t be solved without addressing migration issues.
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