Eighty percent of the products of Nigerian tertiary institutions are not employable, a management and human resources expert has said. Fola Ogunsola of the Fola Ogunsola Foundation (FOF) made the assertion at a one-day “Life After Campus” seminar, where she discussed the importance of equipping university graduates with entrepreneurial skills to thrive in the current economic climate.
Ogunsola argued that with the ongoing challenges in the Nigerian job market, graduates must not only focus on academic qualifications but also on building practical skills that will enable them to create their own opportunities. She stressed that without entrepreneurial knowledge, even the best-qualified graduates would struggle to navigate the difficulties of unemployment and underemployment in Nigeria.
The seminar focused on the pressing need for a mindset shift, encouraging students to consider entrepreneurship as a viable career option. Ogunsola emphasized that many graduates can become self-sufficient and contribute to national development by starting their own businesses or becoming freelancers in their respective fields.
Additionally, Ogunsola called for the integration of entrepreneurial courses into the university curriculum. She pointed out that most Nigerian universities fail to provide students with the right tools and knowledge to start their own ventures, leaving them unprepared for the realities of a highly competitive market.
The event concluded with calls for universities, government agencies, and businesses to join forces in creating initiatives that will foster entrepreneurship and equip students with the necessary skills to succeed in both traditional employment and self-employment opportunities.