Nigeria Eyes More Jobs for Citizens Through Qatar Partnership

Nigeria has stepped up efforts to create more employment opportunities for its citizens in Qatar, with the country’s Ambassador to the Gulf state, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, holding high-level talks with Qatari officials on labour mobility and economic cooperation.

Yakubu, who was appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador to Qatar by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on November 7, 2025, met with Qatar’s Minister of Labour, Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri, in Doha on Sunday as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and expand opportunities for Nigerians.

The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the engagement was aimed at opening more employment opportunities for skilled Nigerians in line with the Federal Government’s foreign policy objectives.

According to him, the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s “4D Doctrine” of foreign policy, which places emphasis on Democracy, Development, Demography and Diaspora, with particular focus on harnessing the potential of Nigerians living abroad.

The discussions centred on labour cooperation, workforce development and pathways for qualified Nigerians to access employment opportunities in Qatar, which has become one of the Gulf region’s major destinations for migrant workers.

On the same day, Yakubu received a delegation from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), led by its Secretary-General, Dr Philip Mshelbila, at the Nigerian Embassy in Doha.

The meeting explored ways to deepen collaboration in the energy sector, particularly as Nigeria continues to position natural gas as a major driver of economic growth and energy transition.

The GECF, headquartered in Doha, is an intergovernmental organisation that promotes cooperation among leading gas-producing nations on issues relating to natural gas development, investment and global energy markets.

Nigeria occupies a strategic position within the organisation, with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, currently serving as Chairman of the GECF Ministerial Meeting.

Yakubu’s engagements formed part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to strengthen Nigeria-Qatar relations by promoting economic cooperation, attracting investment and creating opportunities for Nigerians abroad.

The ambassador’s meetings are also expected to bolster collaboration in the gas sector, where both countries are key players, while advancing Nigeria’s broader economic diplomacy agenda.