Hello.cv co-founder Opeyemi Awoyemi has responded to controversy surrounding the company’s partnership with the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, saying public discussions about the arrangement have misrepresented the nature of the deal.
The partnership, announced in May by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, will provide 20,000 3MTT fellows with access to Hello.cv’s profile package, including a personal .cv domain, a job search agent and CV-writing support. The package was valued at over $10 million.
In recent weeks, the deal has attracted criticism from some stakeholders and commentators who questioned why a programme backed by the Nigerian government would be linked to the .cv domain rather than Nigeria’s .ng domain.
The debate centred on issues of digital sovereignty, local infrastructure and compliance with the government’s Nigeria First Policy.
Awoyemi, however, said he was disappointed by the way the story was reported across several media platforms, explaining that one of the main points raised in the criticism was the reported value of the partnership.
He stressed that the public discussion created the impression that government money was used to fund the arrangement, but that was not the case.
“For the record: the government did not pay us a dime. What happened is the exact opposite. We contributed sponsorship in kind valued at up to $10 million. Governments do not typically pay for initiatives like this.”
The clarification comes after several reports referred to the arrangement as a $10 million partnership between the ministry and Hello.cv.
Awoyemi also addressed concerns about the use of the .cv domain, arguing that Hello.cv has evolved beyond being associated solely with Cape Verde’s country code domain.
“It’s also important to understand that .cv has been globalised. Hello.cv is a global company, with most of its users in the US and Europe, focused on career-related use cases. Hello.cv is not just about a domain extension. It is about the career tools, opportunities, and value we can provide to young people, and specifically in this case, Nigerian youth.”
While some reports suggested that a .ng-based alternative should have been considered, Awoyemi said supporting Nigerian digital infrastructure and building Hello.cv’s international platform are not mutually exclusive goals.
“We should be working together, not against one another.”
He pointed to his long involvement in Nigeria’s internet and technology ecosystem, noting that he helped build some of the country’s best-known digital businesses.
“I have every intention of helping grow .ng. Some of you already know my history in this space. For those who don’t, I co-founded Whogohost, now Go54, and together with Toba and our team, we grew it into the largest domain registrar in the country. I also founded Jobberman, which became the largest job platform in Nigeria.”
Awoyemi said his position on the matter should not be interpreted as opposition to Nigeria’s interests.
“I am Nigerian, and Nigeria’s interests remain paramount to me. But I am not a politician. Entrepreneurs can solve many problems, but only when there is a willingness to support progress rather than politicise it.”
He added that he had attempted to engage some of the parties involved privately before deciding to make his response public.
“I am posting this publicly because several of the relevant parties whom I have attempted to reach privately have not responded. My door remains open.”
On the future of .ng and possible collaboration with Nigeria’s internet community, Awoyemi said there is room for cooperation.
“If NIRA wants cv.ng, we all know what needs to be done. The real question is whether we will allow politics to stand in the way. NIRA can continue investing in the long-term growth of .ng through stronger infrastructure, broader adoption, and sustained awareness campaigns.”
He said Hello.cv is already working with partners in different countries and remains open to similar arrangements in Nigeria.
“On the career side, we are happy to collaborate. We are already doing so across multiple countries and U.S. states. Others can do it too. Nigeria is not lacking talented entrepreneurs.
“Either path is fine with hello.cv. What matters is inclusive progress.
“Nigeria will win!”
