Nigeria, Netherlands, Nearshoring: assessing Nigeria’s remote ICT

This publication is part of the series 'ICT nearshoring in bilateral migration partnerships'.

As a migration partner country of the Netherlands, Nigeria is the next focus country in the series “Remote hires, stronger ties: nearshoring embedded within migration partnerships.” This series explores how nearshoring can serve as a strategic element in migration partnerships by addressing Dutch ICT labour shortages through remote hire that creates sustainable employment opportunities abroad.

If pursued incrementally and pragmatically, nearshoring can be explored as a positive element within migration partnerships, with the potential to support more mutually beneficial cooperation, shift focus from prevention and exclusion toward collaboration and mutual interest. ICT nearshoring can help strengthen Dutch competitiveness while creating durable, skills-based employment for young Nigerians. When embedded within broader migration partnerships, nearshoring functions could complement existing legal migration pathways. By allowing some jobs to move to people instead of requiring people to move to jobs, it has the potential to expand access to quality work at home in partner countries. While not a solution to migration pressures on its own, ICT nearshoring can be considered a promising component of a broader, balanced migration and labour strategy that supports Dutch ICT capacity and generates employment opportunities in Nigeria.

The Nigerian case study builds on earlier reports like “Connecting Shores;” which examined Egypt’s ICT nearshoring potential and diplomatic positioning, and “Egypt: ICT as a driver for growth;” which analysed practical implementation and scale-up measures. This case study on Nigeria combines both perspectives. This report brings together public and private sector insights to give readers a clear understanding of Nigeria’s ICT landscape and its nearshoring potential. It first situates Nigeria within the broader framework of Dutch migration partnerships, then examines the structure, dynamics and maturity of the Nigerian ICT ecosystem, before turning to the opportunities and barriers shaping ICT nearshoring feasibility, as well as lessons learned from comparable EU initiatives in this field. Finally, it outlines evidence-based options for operationalising such an initiative.

With the recent publication of reports by two prominent advisory bodies of the Dutch government, political attention has increased on how to structurally address demographic labour shortages in the Netherlands. These shortages are expected to intensify in the coming decades as natural population growth turns negative in the absence of migration.

Although Figure 1. presents EU-wide data, the Netherlands exhibits a comparable demographic pattern of declining natural population growth, underscoring the increasing role of migration in sustaining the labour force. Taken together, these reports point to a necessary reorientation: from reactive approaches toward proactive thinking. Rather than viewing migration and international talent solely as a short-term labour fix, they frame it as a structural and strategic response to national demographic realities.

The nearshoring agenda directly operationalises these recommendations, without physical migration to the Netherlands. By focusing on remote digital work and a corridor model, the Netherlands can tap into Nigeria’s demographic dividend and digital potential, while strengthening more future-oriented and mutually beneficial migration partnerships. In the study, "corridor" model refers to a practical, repeatable enabling framework that connects Nigerian ICT talent with Dutch firms through remote work, supported by targeted public measures, but largely driven by market demand and private intermediaries.

By focusing on remote digital work and a corridor model, the Netherlands can tap into Nigeria’s demographic dividend and digital potential, while strengthening more future-oriented and mutually beneficial migration partnerships.

Methodology

To explore whether and how nearshoring models can be deliberately designed, supported and embedded in bilateral migration partnerships, this study adopts a qualitative and exploratory case study design. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders with public- and private-sector stakeholders in the Netherlands and Nigeria. In the Netherlands, this was complemented by a roundtable discussion involving Dutch policymakers working on Nigeria, researchers and early European practitioners engaged in nearshoring initiatives.

A research mission was subsequently conducted to Nigeria in November 2025, with fieldwork in Abuja and Lagos. This included semi-structured interviews with Nigerian government representatives, European embassies, international organisations, intermediary firms, and other ecosystem actors involved in ICT skills development, outsourcing, and labour mobility.

In addition, an exploratory qualitative survey was conducted among 58 final-year ICT students enrolled at Nigerian universities. The respondents were students nearing entry into the labour market upon completion of their ICT degree programmes. Participants were drawn from three types of universities in Southwest Nigeria: a federal university, a state university, and a private university. The survey aimed to capture the perspectives of prospective job seekers on participation on ICT nearshoring opportunities, migration intentions and job-market expectations.

This report first explains why Nigeria and the ICT sector are strategically relevant for a nearshoring corridor, then provides an overview of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem and market ready talent base. It goes on to analyse the opportunities and constraints for a Nigeria–Netherlands ICT corridor and draws lessons from relevant EU programmes. It concludes with practical tracks for policy alignment and implementation.

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