Federal Government targets 10 million globally certified Nigerians by 2030

The Federal Government is working to create one million export-linked jobs and produce 10 million globally certified Nigerians by 2030 through reforms to education and skills development, Education Minister Tunji Alausa has said. A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, quoted Alausa as making the disclosure at the “Hire From Nigeria” event held alongside the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. Alausa said the Education Ministry was building a talent pipeline linked to global employment opportunities under the National Talent Export Programme.

He said Nigeria’s young population, English-language advantage, cultural adaptability and expanding digital capabilities provided a foundation for participation in the global services economy. The minister identified the gap between training and employer demand, limited work-based learning and inadequate access to internationally recognised certification as challenges. He said the government was responding through curriculum reform, stronger accreditation and quality assurance, and expanded digital and technical training.

He said employers should participate in programme design, training, assessment, certification and recruitment. The government’s free Technical and Vocational Education and Training programme, he added, had received more than one million applications, with 160,000 trainees supported through about 1,200 Federal Technical Colleges and accredited private centres. Alausa said university education, TVET, apprenticeships and continuous upskilling would provide multiple routes to employment, enterprise and further learning.

The ministry was also preparing young Nigerians for an economy shaped by artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, with emphasis on data literacy, cybersecurity, cloud services, software development and quality assurance. The Digital Training Academy is partnering with Coursera and Pluralsight to give 32,000 Nigerians free access to professional training. Alausa urged employers, investors and development partners to help design programmes, provide work-based learning and build talent pipelines beyond the country’s largest commercial cities.