A new call to action is reverberating through Nigeria’s higher education landscape, as the National Universities Commission (NUC) and EyeCity Africa urge universities to reimagine their role—not merely as institutions that produce job seekers, but as incubators for future job creators and innovators.
This message was at the forefront of a recent roundtable in Abuja, which convened key stakeholders from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the British Council, regulatory agencies, international organizations, and private sector partners. Their collective aim: to chart a bold course for entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigerian universities.
Representing the NUC, Lawal Mohammed Faruk, Director of Research, Innovation and Information Technology, emphasized the urgency of adopting a more practical, skills-driven educational model aligned with the realities of the 21st-century workforce. With over 2,800 higher education institutions across the country, he noted, Nigeria’s demographic dividend hinges on how well its youth are equipped for the modern job market.
Despite efforts to reform curricula and introduce entrepreneurship courses, significant gaps persist—particularly in translating research into commercial ventures, forging strong university–industry partnerships, and building systems that turn creative ideas into scalable enterprises. Each year, while approximately 700,000 graduates join the workforce, job creation lags behind, and valuable research too often remains confined to academic journals instead of fueling innovation in the broader economy.
A survey by EyeCity Africa further highlighted structural deficits: outdated teaching methods, insufficient intellectual property frameworks, weak innovation funding, and minimal industry collaboration. These challenges, stakeholders agreed, must be addressed to unlock the true potential of Nigeria’s youth.
The roundtable’s recommendations were clear-cut. Universities should establish Technology Transfer Offices and innovation/IP centers, mandate entrepreneurship education throughout all years of study, and adopt blended learning with industry practitioners. Enhanced funding models and mentorship programs are also critical, as are partnerships with innovation hubs and stronger alumni networks.
Participants called for regulatory agencies to tie accreditation and performance metrics to measurable innovation outcomes and job creation. A dedicated working group—including representatives from the NUC, EyeCity Africa, major universities, and industry leaders—has been set up to drive these reforms forward.
The consensus was unmistakable: to maintain global competitiveness and harness the ingenuity of Nigeria’s youth, higher education must become a launchpad for entrepreneurship, innovation, and real-world impact.
