Tinubu urges Nigerian Universities to Produce Graduates Ready for Global Economy

President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerian universities to produce innovative, digitally competent and entrepreneurial graduates capable of solving real-world problems and driving Nigeria’s economic transformation.

Tinubu said sustainable economic transformation could not be achieved without corresponding investment in human capital, stressing the need for universities to play a greater role in innovation, research, entrepreneurship and national development.

The President made the remarks on Tuesday in Ilorin, Kwara State, while declaring open the 37th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), held at the main auditorium of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN).

Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaibat Saidu Ahmad, Tinubu said universities must move beyond their traditional role of awarding academic degrees.

“Universities are more than institutions where degrees are awarded. They are centres of knowledge creation, innovation, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, cultural development and national transformation,” he said.

The President urged Nigerian universities to strengthen their focus on practical skills, research and innovation, saying institutions of higher learning must become centres capable of producing solutions to real-world challenges.

According to him, Nigerian universities must produce graduates who are not only academically certified but also innovative, ethical, digitally competent, entrepreneurial and adaptable.

He added that graduates must possess the capacity to solve real-world problems and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic and social development.

Tinubu’s charge comes amid growing calls for Nigerian universities to align academic programmes and research with the needs of industry and the wider economy.

The President reaffirmed the importance of human capital development to Nigeria’s long-term growth, urging university authorities and other stakeholders to reposition the nation’s higher education system to meet emerging global realities.