Katsina, Nigeria- Nigeria could face a deepening skills crisis if its universities fail to urgently adopt technology-focused education, the chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) board, Aminu Bello Masari, says, urging institutions to shift from certificate-driven learning to globally competitive skills.
Masari makes the remarks on Saturday at the 17th convocation ceremony of Al-Qalam University in Katsina State, where the private institution awards him an honorary doctorate in public administration for contributions to public service and education.
“The number of graduates produced annually by our universities demands a paradigm shift,” Masari says, adding that a deliberate tilt towards technology is now inevitable for the survival of higher education and national development.
He calls on universities to equip students with practical skills in areas such as agriculture, healthcare, security, service delivery and mineral exploration, saying technology mastery would enable young Nigerians to compete in an increasingly interconnected global economy.
Masari also highlights moral discipline and institutional resilience as essential foundations for sustainable development, warning that education systems lacking strong values would struggle to deliver long-term national progress.
On politics, the former Katsina State governor urges restraint among political leaders as Nigeria approaches another election cycle, cautioning that global experience shows even advanced democracies can suffer destabilisation when political competition is left unchecked.
He calls for leadership anchored on patriotism and national interest rather than personal ambition.
Also speaking at the event, Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda says education remains the most powerful instrument for sustainable development, disclosing that his administration has invested more than 6 billion naira ($4 million) in scholarship awards for over 174,000 students in tertiary institutions within and outside the country.
Earlier, Al-Qalam University Vice-Chancellor Nasiru Musa Yawuri says the institution graduated 1,109 students across various disciplines, including 18 First Class degree holders.
Plateau News Online 