In a strategic bid to diversify its economy and create thousands of formal digital jobs for its youth, the Cross River State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, has hosted a high-level, two-day State Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Policy Roundtable in Calabar.
Organized in partnership with the Tech Talent Service, TTS, Nigeria Programme, a consortium supported by the Mastercard Foundation, Tech4Dev, Policy Innovation Centre, Univelcity, and Semicolon, the dialogue convened government officials, industry leaders, and development partners to build an inclusive BPO, ecosystem for the State.
Speaking during the opening remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Mrs. Abigail Duke Orok, said the state’s emerging status provides a solid baseline for rapid growth.
“The goal of this policy framework is to turn our readiness into immediate investment and jobs by closing investor-critical gaps, leveraging existing assets, and ensuring our youth are job-ready for international and domestic buyers,” she stated.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Michael Odere, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the administration’s youth technology development agenda, which has already engaged over 400 young residents in digital skills programs.
He noted that Cross River is well-positioned to tap into the global BPO market, projected to reach $696 billion by 2033. With over 350,000 post-secondary educated residents and 1.93 million workers currently in informal employment, the BPO sector offers a sustainable pathway to transition local talent into structured, high-value digital roles.
Presenting findings from the TTS Nigeria State Readiness Index, program facilitators revealed that Cross River ranks 9th out of 15 assessed states in Nigeria with a 55.5% readiness score.
Throughout the event, stakeholders co-created and validated a 9-Pillar BPO Policy Architecture covering talent development, digital infrastructure, investor incentives, regulatory standards, and inclusive hiring mandate.
Structuring state fiscal and non-fiscal packages tied to verified hiring quotas for women, marginalized youth, and Persons with Disabilities, PWDs.
Setting up a dedicated single-window office within the Ministry of Commerce to streamline investor aftercare and regulatory approvals.
Embedding mandatory inclusive hiring requirements into state public-private contracting frameworks.
Finalizing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Tech4Dev/TTS Nigeria to launch a demand-led training and job-placement pilot program in Calabar.
The event concluded with a joint commitment by the state government, private operators, and development partners to finalize the executive policy document for state approval, paving the way for immediate implementation.
By Obaseoyi Bassey
