The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has expressed concerns over the disparity between Nigeria's education system and the needs of the labor market. According to the group, weaknesses in the education pipeline are limiting young people's ability to transition into productive employment. NESG's Lead, Human Capital Development Thematic Group, Oluwatobi Oseni, stated that the education system's effectiveness should be measured by whether learners acquire skills that boost productivity and meet the demands of a changing economy.
Oseni described Nigeria's human capital challenge as a "broken education pipeline," requiring interventions from foundational learning through tertiary education, skills development, and employment. He noted that weaknesses at different stages of the education system compound one another, with the country facing a large population of out-of-school children, poor foundational literacy and numeracy, declining examination outcomes, and difficulties moving young people into productive employment.
The NESG organized a pre-summit dialogue, "Future-proofing Nigerian Education," which brought together stakeholders from government, educational institutions, the private sector, and development organizations. The dialogue aimed to examine education quality, access, skills development, and employability. Chair of the NES#32 Central Organizing Committee, Ozofu Ogiemudia, emphasized that building a future-ready education system required attention to the entire pipeline, including foundational learning, access to tertiary education, curriculum, teaching, skills development, and transition into employment.
Stakeholders at the dialogue, including UNICEF Chief of Social Policy, Dr. Moses Sichei, called for stronger links between academic research and industry needs. Sichei suggested that postgraduate research should address real-world industry problems and generate evidence-based solutions. He also advocated for the integration of entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital skills into university education, alongside internships, industry mentorship, and greater interaction between students and practitioners.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, emphasized the need for stronger university-industry partnerships. He suggested that universities should function as centers of innovation and enterprise development, in addition to their traditional roles of teaching, research, and community service. Fawehinmi also advocated for greater integration of entrepreneurship into university education to enable graduates to create businesses rather than depend solely on formal employment.
Other stakeholders, including the Director, Programmes and Partnerships at the British Council, Chikaodi Onyemerela, and the Director of Teachers Professional Development, Maryam Sani-Rangaji, emphasized the need for academic research to address concrete challenges confronting businesses and produce actionable solutions. They also called for stronger Enterprise Development Centres in universities and greater emphasis on innovations, inventions, and patents.
The NESG stated that recommendations from the dialogue would feed into its advocacy ahead of NES#32, scheduled for October 26 and 27 in Abuja. The group's concerns and proposed solutions highlight the need for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria's education system to address the country's human capital challenges and meet the demands of a changing economy.
Key points
- Nigeria's education system is failing to provide skilled graduates, with weaknesses in the education pipeline limiting young people's ability to transition into productive employment.
- Stakeholders are calling for stronger links between academic research and industry needs, as well as greater integration of entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital skills into university education.
- The NESG's proposed solutions aim to address the country's human capital challenges and meet the demands of a changing economy.
