Nigeria’s primary challenge, according to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, is the country’s graduates’ inability to find work.
He urged educational institutions to place a greater emphasis on the development of abilities rather than the production of diplomas.
Pantami made the comment while delivering his goodwill message at the Katsina National Talent Hunt Challenge prize-giving ceremony on Tuesday in Katsina.
According to Pantami, a cultural shift in the thinking of graduates in the country from seeking government employment to pursuing entrepreneurship is required.
In his words: “I always tell you, that our major challenge in Nigeria today is not unemployment but rather it is more of unemployability.
“Why I said so is this, there are many job opportunities but most of our youths with certificates, like my humble self, if you employ them, they will not be able to do the work you have employed them to do.
“There are many jobs in technical engineering, road construction, ICT, oil and gas, but you will discover that on a daily basis, foreigners are coming into the country to do the technical job for us in most sectors.”
“The only way we will be able to improve our economy is by addressing the issue of unemployment and unemployability, giving more priority and preference to the youths that have brilliant ideas and are willing to be self-reliant and in turn, they will be able to employ others,”
