AOPN Seeks Global Recognition

The Vice President of Outsourcing Professionals Association of Nigeria (AOPN), the umbrella body of outsourcing practitioners in Nigeria, Obiora Madu, has said that the platform was out to address the burning concerns of developing a value driven, global best practices framework for the provision of outsourcing services in Nigeria.
He disclosed this during 2016 Outsourcing Expo in Lagos, tagged ‘Building the Nigerian Outsourcing Model: Issue for Consideration’.

“As economic trends unfold the world over, we recognise the need to build an outsourcing model that provides a structure that works and delivers value to both providers and users in Nigeria,” he said.

Resource person at the event included Managing Director of the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan Atlantic University, Mr. Peter Bamkole, Group Managing Director, Investment One Financial Services Limited, Mr. Nicholas Nyamali, Group head Human Resources, Guarantee Trust Bank, Ms. Oyiza Salu amongst others.

Buttressing on the need to position Nigeria as veritable outsourcing destination, Chairman, Policy and Strategy, Mr. Soji Oyawoye, said verifications of claims was very important to avoid fraudulent practices and sustain the credibility.

Interestingly, Salu said outsourcing is one of the fall-outs of globalisation, adding, “It is a business practice whereby a company contracts out an internal business process to a third-party organisation. In Nigeria, though not yet as prominent as in other countries, more companies are embracing the practice in their bid to cut cost and focus operations on their core objectives.”

Speaking further, he said, “Contracting is a totally different phenomenon from management practice of outsourcing. When you are a contractor, your engagement is limited and restricted meaning when you are given an employment it will be said in your letter that you have been engaged to work for a particular number of months, and after the end of the period, your relationship with the organisation comes to an end. But in outsourcing, your engagement with an organisation is not fixed, even though the outsourcing company engaged you fully as their staff, they will attach you to a client and when the client needs to downsize, you will not lose your job because the client will only have to send you back to your outsourcing company, who is your employer and with whom as an outsourcing staff, you enjoy all the benefits that staff enjoys.”