At the recent Apex Tech Summit in Lagos, Adewale Yusuf, CEO and Co-Founder of AltSchool Africa, raised concerns about many Nigerian university courses being irrelevant to today’s job market.
Yusuf explained that the courses students pick when registering for JAMB’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are often outdated and no longer meet the needs of the modern economy. He pointed out that curricula in Nigerian institutions have not kept pace with global changes in technology and industry. This leaves graduates without the skills required to succeed in emerging fields.
“For all the students entering university now, no matter your course or school, I’m sorry to say what you’re about to study is irrelevant,” – Yusuf
He compared Nigerian universities to global institutions like MIT, which are updating programs to stay current. Yusuf urged Nigerian students to take charge of their learning and acquire skills that match global demands, even while still in school. Yusuf also addressed worries about artificial intelligence (AI) replacing jobs. He argued that AI will create twice as many jobs as it displaces and stated the importance of creative thinking.
“In the name of God, I beg you, just go and learn something while you’re in school… Thinking is one thing that will differentiate you from the rest of the world” he said.
Seun Runsewe, founder of Security Basic Tools and a fellow speaker at the summit, added that adaptability is key in today’s fast-changing world. Learning how to learn, grasping new tools and skills quickly, is vital to staying relevant.
To thrive in the digital economy, students must embrace continuous learning, adaptability, and a proactive approach to education.
