Contrary to rumours, Nigerian graduates are employable, according to Professor Surajudeen Bankole, a former dean of the University of Ibadan’s Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences.
The idea that Nigerian graduates are unemployed is false, according to Bankole.
According to him, Nigerian graduates—many of whom are thought to be unemployable—are succeeding and setting the standard for their international counterparts.
At the 2025 NextGen-Ideate cohort graduation, which was held to increase the institution’s capability for recent graduates, Bankole made these statements.
According to the Don, it is incorrect for certain labour firms to think that most Nigerian graduates are unemployed.
“I cannot support the saying that Nigerian graduates are unemployable,” he said. They speculate that it may be due to the growth of higher education institutions or the fact that we aren’t developing enough teachers to support them.
“Because the term “non-employable” implies that they are unable to hire you at all. They claim that some of the graduates who succeed abroad are unemployed. They are speculating that it might just be an attempt to hide their own shortcomings. The government must be practical.
There are many Nigerian universities across Africa, according to the ranking. in both the global and African rankings. In Nigeria, UI is the most popular. Therefore, we shouldn’t generalise about Nigerian graduates. Even if we see many of them succeeding and returning to support the institutions, when you say that, you are accusing us of not carrying out our duties. They won’t be succeeding if they are unemployed. The reason for this is that they cherish what they have discovered.
Therefore, employers must also increase their budget in reaction to individuals who claim that Nigerian graduates are unemployed. Since we are all there to create the stuff, they ought to do the same if we have.
In his remarks, Dr. Tunji Owoseni, the program director, clarified that the program provides a chance for the institution’s recent graduates to realise their full potential.