In a major step towards addressing youth unemployment and tapping into the global digital economy, the Federal Government on Tuesday unveiled Levels 2 and 3 of the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for call centre operations.
The launch, which took place in Abuja, was spearheaded by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). Speaking at the event, NBTE Executive Secretary, Professor Idris Bugaje, said the new standards are designed to equip young Nigerians, particularly students in tertiary institutions, with marketable skills for the 21st-century workplace.
Bugaje described the initiative as a “low-hanging fruit” with enormous potential to generate jobs and earn foreign exchange for the country.
“I was trying to Google job opportunities in call centres globally before I came in. There are opportunities across the world in call centre operations,” he said.
“Even within Nigeria, we have many job opportunities, not just full-time roles, but also part-time. Students in tertiary institutions who get this training will be able to earn some income to support themselves.”
He noted that despite funding constraints caused by delays in the 2025 budget, the initiative had made considerable progress, thanks in part to self-funding and a shared commitment to building a viable employment pathway in the call centre sector.
Bugaje called on the Federal Ministry of Education to incorporate the new NOS into the national training framework for 2025, emphasizing that a public unveiling was crucial to securing buy-in from training centres nationwide.
Also speaking at the event, Dr Nabila Mohammed, Technical Assistant to the Minister of Education on TVET and STEM, highlighted the timeliness of the new standards and reiterated the ministry’s commitment to accelerating the rollout of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) initiative.
Dr Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), echoed the importance of the development. Represented by Mrs Freda Bruce-Benneth, Director of the Consumer Affairs Bureau, Maida said the call centre sector already supports millions of Nigerian telecom users.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is already playing its part, operating its own call centre through the toll-free line 622 for unresolved complaints,” he said.
Maida added that with over 80 million active MTN lines and hundreds of millions of subscribers across other telecom operators, the need for trained professionals in the sector is more urgent than ever.
In a related development, Dr Muhammed Mustapha, Chairman of Hypertech Nig. Ltd., pointed to the potential of the initiative to connect Nigerian talent with international opportunities.
“With proper training and certification, Nigerian youth could handle customer service calls for companies abroad without ever leaving the country,” he said.
The unveiling of the new standards is expected to mark a turning point in the development of Nigeria’s call centre industry, positioning the country as a hub for outsourcing and remote customer service operations.
[…] part of this year’s Children’s Day celebration, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Anambra State Chapter, has […]