Borno Government to Partner with TTS Nigeria to Expand Digital Job Opportunities

The Borno State Government is set to partner with TTS Nigeria to expand digital job opportunities in the state, with a focus on inclusive economic growth through the Business Process Outsourcing, BPO, sector.

Professor Gutti made the call on Wednesday at a state-level policy roundtable on "Accelerating Inclusive Economic Opportunities through the BPO Sector", held at the Conference Hall of Musa Usman Secretariat, Maiduguri.

The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation and Technology for Social Change and Development Initiative, Tech4Dev. The wider TTS Nigeria programme focuses on digital skills development and pathways to employment, particularly for young women.

Representing Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, the Secretary to the Borno State Government, Dr Bukar Tijjani, said the administration was committed to creating opportunities for youths and women through vocational and entrepreneurial training, digital skills development and decent employment.

Dr Tijjani said the government would continue to support initiatives promoting education, information and communication technology, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, particularly for vulnerable groups.

He called on stakeholders to support the expansion of the programme, saying stronger collaboration would enable more citizens to acquire market-relevant skills and gain access to sustainable employment opportunities.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Kashim Ibrahim University, Professor Babagana Gutti, stressed the importance of collaboration among government, academic institutions, development partners and the private sector in preparing young people for emerging opportunities in technology and the digital economy.

Professor Gutti said universities have an important role to play in providing the knowledge, technical skills and capacity required to enable young people to participate effectively in the BPO and wider digital economy.

The Policy Lead at TTS Nigeria, Ambassador Asari Allotey, said the programme was designed to equip 30,000 highly educated young women nationwide with market-ready skills, with at least 25,000 expected to access employment opportunities.

The Lead of the Policy and Ecosystem Advocacy Pillar at TTS Nigeria, Femi Obidare, said Borno State was expected to benefit from about 2,000 opportunities under the programme.

Mr Obidare said 10 per cent of the opportunities would be reserved for persons with disabilities, while five per cent would be allocated to internally displaced persons.

He said TTS Nigeria would work with the Borno State Government to strengthen the policy and ecosystem needed to support the growth of BPO in the state.

According to him, the initiative seeks to create an enabling environment that can increase productivity and employment, attract investment and position Borno to benefit from global outsourcing opportunities.

He said a major outcome of the policy roundtable would be the development of a framework to guide the growth of BPO and other technology-enabled services in the state.

The General Manager of the Borno State Investment and Social Protection Agency, BOSIMP, Dr Amdan Lawan, expressed the agency's readiness to coordinate the partnership.

Dr Lawan called for the establishment of a technical team to develop a policy framework for BPO in Borno State, stressing the need for the process to continue beyond the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

The MoU was signed on behalf of the Borno State Government by Dr Amdan Lawan, while Ambassador Onisa signed for TTS Nigeria.

Ambassador Janet Olisa witnessed the signing for TTS Nigeria, while Professor Babagana Gutti witnessed on behalf of the Borno State Government.

The roundtable brought together government officials, academic institutions, development partners and other stakeholders to deliberate on policies, partnerships and practical strategies for developing Borno's BPO ecosystem.

The partnership is expected to strengthen the state's digital talent ecosystem and expand access to skills, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for youths and women.

The programme was attended by top government officials, heads of higher institutions, representatives of development organisations, private sector stakeholders and leaders of various institutions and organisations across Borno State.