Enugu, Humatrix sign BPO deal targeting 100,000 jobs in five years

The Enugu State Government has signed a partnership agreement with Humatrix Limited to establish a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hub aimed at creating more than 100,000 jobs for young people within five years.

The agreement, signed at Government House, Enugu, marks the implementation phase of an initiative designed to position the state as a leading destination for digital services and outsourcing in Nigeria and Africa.

The partnership aligns with Governor Peter Mbah’s economic diversification agenda, human capital development policy and efforts to attract private investment into the state.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Director of Humatrix Limited, Dr Dakuku Peterside, said the company selected Enugu after evaluating its investment climate, policy consistency and commitment to economic transformation.

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“It was very easy for us to choose Enugu. Enugu is investing, and there is consistency. Most importantly, we have a supportive environment. These are core things any business would request to scale,” Peterside said.

He disclosed that the company would commence operations with a 750-seat BPO centre, expand capacity to more than 2,000 seats within the first year and work towards creating 100,000 jobs within five years.

According to him, the initiative would extend beyond direct employment by equipping young people with industry-relevant digital and technological skills and connecting them with job opportunities.

He added that the project would also attract international companies seeking skilled workers to provide digital services to clients across the world.

Peterside disclosed that the state government had provided a building for the project’s take-off, while recruitment and training opportunities would be made available to interested youths in Enugu.

He commended the government’s negotiation process, describing the diligence and thoroughness demonstrated by its multi-agency team as evidence of the seriousness with which the state approaches investment partnerships.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on MSME and Digital Economy, Mr Arinze Chilo-Offiah, described the agreement as a significant step towards achieving Mbah’s ambition of growing Enugu’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion.

He said the Enugu Talent City Initiative was designed to transform the state into a major digital services and outsourcing hub by attracting global companies, creating employment and enabling young people to work for international clients without leaving their communities.

Chilo-Offiah added that the state’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 centre.

In his remarks, Governor Mbah said the partnership reflected his administration’s commitment to ensuring that young people could acquire relevant skills, secure rewarding employment and build their futures in Enugu rather than migrate elsewhere in search of opportunities.

He disclosed that more than 33 per cent of the state’s expenditure was allocated to human capital development, reflecting the administration’s focus on education, skills acquisition and workforce preparation.

The governor, however, stressed that investment in education and skills development must be matched with efforts to attract companies capable of employing trained workers.

He said private-sector investment would be critical to achieving the state’s economic growth ambitions, adding that the proposed Talent City and Digital Industrial Park would provide infrastructure for expanding the digital economy.

Expressing confidence that the initiative could generate opportunities beyond Humatrix’s 100,000-job target, Mbah said the project would allow young people to earn competitive incomes while remaining in their home state.

“We want the ‘japa’ where we can stay in Enugu and serve companies across the world, anywhere in the world,” he said.

The governor said the partnership demonstrated his administration’s determination to connect investments in education with industries capable of translating knowledge and skills into productive employment.

The proposed BPO hub is expected to strengthen Enugu’s digital economy, attract international business and expand access to employment opportunities for the state’s growing youth population.