The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led federal government to urgently lift the ban on suspension of Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL). NYCN stated that implementation of EEL policy will be of a greater benefit to Nigerian workers particularly the youths.

Recall that President Tinubu in february launched the EEL as mandatory fee imposed on employers hiring expatriate staff in Nigeria in view of the escalating influx of foreign labour into the country, to balance economic expansion, social equity, and workforce enhancement. But FG suspended it following a widespread condemnation from private sector groups barely a week after the announcement.

Speaking in Ibadan at the NYCN Chairmen Forum media parley on EEL, the NYCN chairman in Oyo State, Com. Abdul-Salam Abdul-Quadri kicked against the ban, saying EEL has potential to address economic and security challenges facing the nation. He further stress that the NYCN Chairmen Forum wholeheartedly supports the implementation of the Expatriate Employment Levy in Nigeria, viewing it as a significant measure to ensure fair job access across the nation, particularly for Nigerian youth.

The EEL aims to regulate the employment of expatriates in Nigeria while encouraging the recruitment and training of local talent, including young Nigerians. By imposing levies on companies that hire expatriates, the EEL seeks to incentivize the hiring and development of Nigerian workers, thereby reducing dependence on foreign labor and fostering indigenous capacity building.