Outsourcing professionals seek review of 2007 policy document

For Nigeria to become more attractive in outsourcing business and become a hub, the need to review without delay, the Nigerian National Outsourcing Policy and Institutional Framework 2007 document has been emphasised.

The policy document, members of the Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria (AOPN) said, will propel the industry to play her proper role in the economy.

The group, which commended the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), on the public presentation of the draft copy of the new outsourcing policy, called on industry participants to own the project and respond quickly to usher in a final document produced and owned by the industry with NITDA as the catalyst.

President and Secretary General/Legal Counsel of AOPN, Dr. Madu Obiora and Jacqueline Odiadi, respectively, noted that promoting standardisation and regulation of the sector is imperative for sectoral growth and for international recognition.

Presently, according to them, there is no minimum entry point and this encourages mediocrity.

They argued that professionalism of the sector to meet global standards is very critical and should be encouraged.

Noting that outsourcing and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is an enabler for economic growth; they maintained that it is critical for government agencies with oversight function in the sector to champion the cause for job creation.

The body mentioned how countries such as India and the Philippines recorded immense success because their governments played a critical role in ensuring that outsourcing thrived.

With President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, which has job creation as one of his cardinal points, AOPN said it believed that strengthening the outsourcing sector would go a long way in this direction, adding that the association has her faculty and curriculum in place to partner with government on the laudable programme area.

“Our mission is to galvanize Nigeria on the path of the 4th industrial revolution, this we posit must be a policy thrust for a developing economy given the opportunities it portends. Before the emergence of COVID-19, the more developed countries were already exploring the future of work, the new era now foist upon the world as a result of the pandemic has further galvanised outsourcing as pivotal to these discussions and explorations. Nigeria must showcase her preparedness because the country and people, Nigerians, are part of the global workforce,” AOPN said.