Nigeria’s DBI unveils plan to create 100,000 jobs in outsourcing

LAGOS, NIGERIA — Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) has unveiled plans to create 100,000 jobs through a nationwide business process outsourcing (BPO) drive in Nigeria, positioning the country as a competitive alternative to established hubs, Daily Times Nigeria reports.

Nigeria’s growing outsourcing ambitions

Announced by DBI, the initiative centers on launching a 10,000-seat BPO campus in Lagos, which is expected to create over 70,000 positions initially, with national expansion aiming to reach 100,000 jobs by 2026.  

This strategy underscores Nigeria’s bid to harness its youthful, digitally skilled population and integrate into global value chains.

In an interview with journalists in Abuja, DBI CEO David Daser mentioned that Nigeria’s progressive young professionals, many of whom are IT-literate and scholarly educated. This positioned Nigeria to engage in international outsourcing projects.  

“As part of this mandate, in DBI our strategy for business process outsourcing (BPO) is designed to drive large-scale job creation while positioning DBI Lagos as a premier talent city,” Daser said.

Multiple global enterprises are seeking alternative outsourcing destinations beyond Asia to diversify operations and reduce costs. Lagos, with its growing tech ecosystem and improving digital infrastructure, offers a compelling investment case.

Diplomacy drives outsourcing push

DBI’s initiative also corresponds with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s digital transformation agenda, which emphasizes advancing governance and workforce development. By aligning with compliance in global benchmarks and strategic alliances with global firms, the DBI project aims to bring foreign outsourcing contracts and revenue into Nigeria’s economy.

“The DBI stands as a vital technical partner and capacity-building institution that helps translate President Tinubu’s digital transformation agenda into reality,” said Daser.

While Daser has linked the job-creation drive with political support for President Tinubu’s re-election, arguing his reform policies are bold but necessary, the initiative carries a broader international dimension. 

Subsequently, Tinubu’s recent foreign engagements, particularly in Japan and Brazil, sought to secure trade, technology, and investment partnerships aimed at job creation and economic development. These diplomatic efforts lend credibility to Nigeria’s outsourcing ambitions, signaling to global investors that the country is serious about competing internationally.