Nigeria’s digital economy strategy has come under renewed scrutiny following concerns over the Federal Government’s partnership between the 3 Million Technical Talent Programme and Hello.cv, a deal designed to connect Nigerian tech talents with global employers.
The initiative, announced by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, will provide 20,000 Nigerian tech fellows with professional digital profiles, AI-powered job search tools, CV-writing support, and personalised .cv domain identities.
The partnership, valued at more than $10 million, is intended to strengthen global visibility for Nigerian technology professionals and improve access to international employment opportunities.
Brandspur Tech News Desk reports that the agreement has, however, triggered wider conversations around Nigeria’s digital sovereignty ambitions and the continued low adoption of the country’s local .ng domain infrastructure.
Critics argue that assigning Nigerian tech talents digital identities linked to the .cv country-code domain associated with Cape Verde raises questions about the government’s commitment to promoting Nigeria’s own digital ecosystem.
The .cv extension has been commercially positioned by Hello.cv as a shorthand for “curriculum vitae,” allowing users to create globally recognisable professional digital profiles.
The platform was founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Ope Awoyemi, who is also known for establishing Jobberman and Whogohost.
Industry stakeholders have nevertheless raised concerns that the partnership could undermine efforts to expand adoption of Nigeria’s local .ng domain managed by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association.
Available industry data indicates that Nigeria’s .ng domain registrations remain relatively low compared to other African countries despite the nation’s large population and growing internet penetration.
Technology analysts say wider local domain adoption could support domestic digital infrastructure, strengthen cybersecurity frameworks, improve investor confidence, and retain digital revenue within Nigeria’s economy.
Some observers also questioned whether a Nigeria-based alternative such as a cv.ng platform or local subdomain structure could have been developed under existing Nigerian domain infrastructure.
The development has intensified discussions around the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy, which encourages ministries and public institutions to prioritise local products, services, and technology solutions whenever possible.
Supporters of the Hello.cv partnership maintain that the programme remains valuable because it expands global employment opportunities for Nigerian tech talents and enhances international visibility for participants in the 3MTT initiative.
Since its launch, the 3MTT programme has continued to train thousands of young Nigerians across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of efforts to build a globally competitive digital workforce.
Analysts say the debate highlights a broader challenge facing Nigeria’s technology ecosystem — balancing international competitiveness with the long-term development of indigenous digital infrastructure and national digital identity systems.
