The Enugu State Government has partnered with Humatrix Ltd. to establish a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub aimed at creating more than 100,000 jobs for young people within five years and positioning the state as a leading destination for digital services in Nigeria and Africa.
The partnership agreement was signed at the Government House in Enugu on Thursday, marking the implementation phase of the Enugu Talent City Initiative. The project will begin with a 750-seat outsourcing centre, with plans to expand to more than 2,000 seats within its first year of operation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director of Humatrix Ltd., Dr Peterside Dakuku, said the company selected Enugu after assessing its investment climate, policy consistency and the state government’s commitment to economic transformation.
He said the state’s investment drive and supportive business environment influenced the company’s decision.
“It was very easy for us to choose Enugu. Enugu is investing, and there is consistency. Most importantly, we have a supportive environment as these are core things any business would request to scale,” Dakuku said.
He disclosed that the company planned to expand the centre’s capacity to more than 2,000 seats within the first year and target 100,000 jobs within five years.
According to him, the initiative would go beyond direct employment by equipping young people with relevant digital and technological skills, connecting them with job opportunities and attracting international companies seeking skilled workers.
Dakuku added that the state government had already provided a building for the project’s take-off, while recruitment and training opportunities would be made available to interested young people in Enugu.
He also commended the state government’s negotiation process, describing the thoroughness of its multi-agency team as evidence of its commitment to attracting investments.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on MSME and Digital Economy, Mr Arinze Chilo-Offiah, said the partnership was a major step towards achieving Governor Peter Mbah’s vision of growing Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.
He explained that the Enugu Talent City Initiative was designed to position the state as a leading digital services and outsourcing hub in Nigeria and Africa.
According to him, the initiative would attract international companies by creating employment opportunities and enabling young people to work for global clients from Enugu.
Chilo-Offiah further disclosed that the state government’s long-term ambition was to develop an outsourcing ecosystem with a capacity of up to 300,000 seats by 2031, building on the initial 750-seat BPO centre.
In his remarks, Governor Peter Mbah said the partnership aligned with his administration’s commitment to equipping young people with relevant skills, securing rewarding employment and enabling them to build their futures in Enugu.
The governor disclosed that more than 33 per cent of the state’s expenditure was dedicated to human capital development, reflecting his administration’s focus on education, skills acquisition and workforce preparation.
He stressed that developing skilled workers must go hand in hand with attracting companies capable of employing them, adding that private-sector investment would be critical to achieving the state’s economic growth ambitions.
Mbah also reiterated his administration’s ambition to expand the digital economy through the proposed Talent City and Digital Industrial Park.
He expressed confidence that the planned infrastructure could support employment opportunities beyond Humatrix’s target of 100,000 jobs.
