Experts Call for Major Reform in Nigeria’s Tertiary Education System

Stakeholders at the 2025 Business Leadership Roundtable, convened by Nubian American Advanced College (NAAC), have called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tertiary education sector to enhance graduate employability and better align academic programs with the evolving demands of the labour market.

The event, themed “Realigning Tertiary Education for Nigeria’s Growth and Sustainable Development: A Conceptual Framework,” brought together key voices from government, academia, industry, and the international community to explore sustainable solutions to the sector’s challenges.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Chairman of the occasion, Kiri Wakama, stressed the urgent need to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace realities.

“We’re at a crossroads where education must directly respond to enterprise. It’s no longer sufficient to teach theory alone—we must embed practical experience, encourage innovation, and strengthen links between universities and industry,” Wakama said.

He urged institutions to revise their curricula to meet current industry needs and collaborate more closely with employers to tackle the rising unemployment among graduates.

Dr. Azhinoto Ikpah, Chief Promoter of NAAC and Chairman of the Nubian Group, highlighted the role of education as a bridge between business and society. He noted that producing work-ready graduates must be a top priority for all institutions.

“Our graduates must reflect the realities of the industries they are entering. This disconnect is no longer acceptable,” he stated.

Dr. Ikpah also referenced NAAC’s strategic collaboration with Johnson C. Smith University in the United States, showcasing how international partnerships can strengthen curriculum innovation, student exchange, and research outcomes.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, presented a policy brief on education reform and youth employability. He criticised the disconnect between academic training and labour market needs.

“While UNESCO recommends a minimum of 15–20% of national budgets for education, Nigeria’s allocation in 2024 was only 5.5%. Underfunding and outdated curricula have left many of our graduates ill-equipped for the job market,” Oyerinde said.

He called for reforms that embrace transnational education models and introduce curricula grounded in global best practices and labour market intelligence.

Oyerinde also reaffirmed NECA’s commitment to employability initiatives, citing ongoing projects such as the NECA–ITF Technical Skills Development Project, the Employability Scheme, and the Job Creation Fair.

In a compelling address, Archbishop Doye Agama presented a paper titled “Bridging the Digital Divide: Embedding Affordable Digital Skills in Nigeria’s Tertiary Education.” He advocated for integrating digital skills across all academic disciplines, rather than treating them as standalone courses.

“Business students should gain hands-on experience with CRM tools and analytics platforms; engineers must engage with IoT and digital twins; arts students should master digital storytelling. Every graduate must be fluent in AI collaboration and remote working,” he argued.

From a public sector perspective, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Tertiary Education, Mr. Adeniran Kasali, commended the roundtable and reaffirmed the state’s efforts to drive innovation in higher education.

“We’re actively repositioning our tertiary institutions to produce globally competitive graduates. That includes curriculum redesign, investment in digital teaching tools, staff training in AI, and promoting international exchange,” Kasali said.

He expressed confidence that the outcomes of the roundtable would inspire concrete reforms, applauding the depth of contributions made by participants.

“This engagement must translate into improved teaching quality, internationally relevant qualifications, and stronger global partnerships,” he concluded.