Nigeria launches Outsource To Nigeria Initiative
Nigeria will launch the Outsource To Nigeria Initiative (OTNI) in Gombe State today.
OTNI is a private-sector led program enabled by the government to create employment opportunities for youth and tap into a $350 billion global outsourcing market.
President Bola Tinubu has made job creation a priority since taking office last year when Nigeria’s youth unemployment rose from 7.2% in the second quarter to 8.6% in the third.
The launch of OTNI complements Nigeria’s National Talent Export Program (NATEP) which aims to create one million jobs through talent sourcing and outsourcing. Both initiatives are steps toward positioning Nigeria as a hub for talent and service exporting following the example of India, Bangladesh and the Philippines.
OTNI will likely result in a modest decrease in Nigeria’s unemployment rates in the medium term, especially as other states take advantage of the initiative in the long term. Outsourcing may emerge as an alternative employer to the oil industry which is reeling from Tinubu’s move to scrap a costly fuel subsidy. Propelled by reforms in areas including ease of doing business, government transparency and economic diversification, expect Nigeria to join the top outsourcing countries in the coming years.
