Nigerians with vocational skills can work in Germany, envoy says
- Ambassador Ita Enang says welding, driving, hospitality and construction skills can qualify Nigerians for German jobs.
- He says visa access, German language and professional certification remain the main hurdles.
- Nigeria is studying labour migration deals Germany signed with India and Kenya.
Nigerians do not need a university degree to find work in Germany, according to the country's ambassador to Germany, Senator Ita Enang. He said people trained in trades and practical work are also wanted in the German labour market.
Enang spoke on Arise Television on Tuesday. He listed driving, hospitality, woodworking, welding and construction among the fields where Nigerians can compete for jobs.
He said many job seekers assume a long academic certificate is the only way in, and so they never explore these routes. "It's not only graduates that are entitled to employment in Germany or in Europe," he said.
What stands in the way
The envoy was clear that skills alone are not enough. A visa to travel and work, a recognised professional qualification and a working knowledge of German are all required, he said.
He said one of the issues that has occupied his time in office is how few Nigerians are in the German workforce, even though those who are there hold senior positions.
Enang said he is learning German himself and encouraged Nigerians to take the language seriously. He also urged communities in Nigeria to protect their own languages, saying some risk dying out without deliberate effort.
On the wider picture, he said Germany is weighing its need for workers against rising support for anti-immigration parties. He argued that Nigeria's young population could help fill Europe's labour gaps.
Talks on a labour deal
Enang said he has asked German officials how India and Kenya reached circular migration and labour migration agreements, which allow a set number of their citizens to work in Germany. He said he has raised the idea of a similar arrangement for Nigeria, most recently with Germany's Ambassador for Migration Cooperation, Dr Ludwig Jung.
He said he is also working with the German Africa Skilled Mobility Foundation and with the German Academic Exchange Service, known as DAAD, to match Nigerian training with skills Germany needs.
Germany already runs an Opportunity Card, a points-based route that lets skilled non-EU nationals enter and look for work for up to a year. Vocational qualifications can count. From November 1, 2026, applicants must also meet tighter B1 German language requirements.
Enang said his goal is not only to send Nigerians abroad but to help them bring skills home. "I want them to be able to acquire skills and also bring them down here," he said.
What happens next: Nothing is agreed yet on a Nigeria-Germany labour migration deal. For now, Nigerians who want to try the route should expect to show a recognised qualification, a visa and German language ability.
