Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Senator Ita Enang, has disclosed that Nigerians without university degrees can secure employment in Germany through vocational and technical skills.
Enang said opportunities exist for skilled Nigerians in sectors such as driving, hospitality, welding, woodworking and construction, noting that many people wrongly assume a university qualification is compulsory for employment in the European country.
The ambassador made this known during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, November 3, where he encouraged Nigerians to explore opportunities beyond graduate-level employment.
He explained that Germany’s labour market also accommodates experienced workers with practical skills, stressing that having a university degree is not the only route to securing a job in the country.
According to Enang, one of his major concerns since assuming office has been the relatively low number of Nigerians working in Germany, despite the presence of some Nigerians in senior professional positions.
He identified visa approval, German language proficiency and the necessary professional certifications as some of the major challenges prospective Nigerian workers must overcome.
The envoy also disclosed that he was learning German to improve his understanding of the country’s institutions and make his diplomatic responsibilities easier. He urged Nigerians interested in working in Germany to take learning the language seriously.
Beyond employment opportunities, Enang called for greater efforts to preserve indigenous Nigerian languages. He commended communities working to sustain Yoruba and Hausa and encouraged speakers of Igbo, Ibibio, Ebira and Tiv to protect their languages from gradually disappearing.
The ambassador further revealed that he had been discussing the possibility of establishing a labour migration agreement between Nigeria and Germany.
He said Germany already had similar arrangements with countries such as India and Kenya, providing structured pathways for their citizens to access employment opportunities.
Enang disclosed that he was examining how Nigeria could benefit from a comparable agreement, adding that he recently discussed the proposal with Germany’s Ambassador for Migration Cooperation, Dr Ludwig Jung.
To understand the requirements involved, the Nigerian envoy said he had obtained English translations of Germany’s immigration and labour laws. He is also studying relevant European Union regulations to determine the conditions Nigerian applicants must satisfy before securing employment.
Enang, however, stressed that his initiative was not solely focused on helping Nigerians travel abroad for work. He said he also wanted Nigerians to acquire technical and vocational skills in Germany and eventually bring the knowledge back home to support local industries and economic development.
He explained that the broader objective was to create opportunities for Nigerians to gain valuable international work experience while developing skills that could also benefit Nigeria.
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