The Federal Government has officially inaugurated the Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network — an initiative designed to strengthen the nation’s workforce, close productivity gaps, and accelerate digital transformation.
Speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday in Lagos, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the initiative forms part of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Reskilling Revolution in Nigeria.
She explained that the network is jointly chaired by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Federal Ministry of Education, and coordinated by the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), marking Nigeria’s entry into the Global Accelerators Network.
Oduwole described the initiative as a decisive step toward building a globally competitive workforce that will drive the next phase of Nigeria’s industrialization and innovation.
“The Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network represents a turning point in connecting policy, industry, and education. It will create a unified platform for driving employability, productivity, and inclusive economic growth,” she said.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to aligning education and vocational training with labour market needs.
He said the Accelerator would serve as a platform for collaboration among government agencies, private sector leaders, academic institutions, and civil society to co-create scalable solutions for reskilling and upskilling the Nigerian workforce.
“This initiative will also align national education and employment policies with the demands of the modern economy,” Alausa added.
The National Coordinator of NATEP, Ms. Teju Abisoye, said the collaboration was not only preparing Nigeria for the future of work but also helping to define it.
She noted that stakeholders are developing a coordinated action plan to bridge talent gaps and harness opportunities for talent export.
According to her, the initiative will prioritize the development of digital and transferable skills to support emerging sectors such as technology, business process outsourcing, and green industries.
“It will also focus on mobilising public-private partnerships to fund and scale reskilling programmes, enabling workforce redeployment into high-demand roles.
It will build data-driven systems to anticipate future skills needs and inform responsive policymaking,” she explained.
Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, welcomed the launch, describing it as a reflection of Nigeria’s commitment to advancing human capital development and digital inclusion.
Zahidi said the initiative would help position Nigeria as a competitive talent hub for Africa and the world.
“By investing in human capital, Nigeria is not only meeting domestic workforce needs but also contributing talent and innovation to the global economy,” she said.
She added that the Reskilling Revolution, a WEF initiative, aims to provide better education, skills, and economic opportunities to one billion people by 2030 through global collaboration among businesses, governments, and learning institutions.
The Nigeria Talent Accelerator Network is expected to serve as a national platform for coordinated skills development, driving innovation, inclusive, and economic transformation across sectors.
