Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured that the ongoing reforms being carried out by President Bola Tinubu-led administration will soon guarantee a future for the country.
Shettima provided the guarantee in Gombe during the unveiling of the “Outsource to Nigeria Initiative” (OTNI), aimed at channeling the abundant talents and skills within the country.
The initiative, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), holds importance in tapping into a segment of the global Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) market valued at 8.79 trillion dollars.
Shettima described President Bola Tinubu as “a visionary leader and refined economic strategist who has a firm grip on the distinction between the current situation in Nigeria and the route within the global landscape.”
He expressed confidence that Tinubu’s resilience and foresight in steering the nation towards economic prosperity would be appreciated by all Nigerians.
The Vice President urged Nigerians to exhibit patience with the administration concerning the economic measures implemented thus far.
He clarified that while these decisions may have posed temporary challenges, they were strategically aimed at fortifying the nation’s economic foundation.
“The tough decisions we have taken may pose short-term challenges, but rest assured, they are strategic investments to fortify the foundations of our economy.
”As your guarantee, I affirm that the reforms in progress will not only weather the storms but usher in a future where we shall stand grateful for the resilience and foresight displayed in propelling our nation towards economic prosperity,” he said.
Shettima voiced optimism that OTNI would transform the economic prospects of the nation.
He highlighted that the initiative would generate millions of employment opportunities and propel unprecedented growth in Nigeria’s BPO and Information Technology-enabled services sector.
Additionally, the Vice President emphasized that the initiative would facilitate connections between global corporations and the abundant talents and skills present in Nigeria.
He said that the spotlight was now beaming on Nigeria, following the nation’s “abundance of talent, a competitive cost structure, a rapidly improving ICT infrastructure, and a strategically advantageous location.”
”Outsourcing is also a strategy to counteract brain drain and channel our talents and skills into reconstructing a Nigeria that works.
”The Outsource to Nigeria Initiative (OTNI) symbolises a pivotal alliance, a collaborative dance between the public and private sectors.
”This is a mission to produce millions of job opportunities and propel Nigeria’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and IT-enabled services sectors into unprecedented growth,” he said.
Earlier, Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe emphasized that the decision to introduce the initiative in the state was not arbitrary. He highlighted it as evidence of the state’s growing potential and its commendable efforts in nurturing an environment conducive to technological innovation and economic development.
Meanwhile, Amal Hassan, the Founder/CEO of OTNI, highlighted the estimated value of the Global BPO & ITES markets at USD 8.79 trillion in 2024. She noted that India and the Philippines collectively held at least 60 percent of this market share.
”Nigeria has the highest potential among key African countries and is expected to register the fastest growth in the African BPO industry, backed by various tailwinds.
She explained that the initiative would be accomplished through streamlined processes, using the initiative’s digital platform, WorkNation, to help partners find, train, and deploy talents according to their requirements.
“Our goal is to showcase Nigeria as the preferred outsourcing destination, connect Nigerian youths to global job opportunities, and attract investments,” she said.