A former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Professor Sagir Abbas, has criticised Nigerian universities for failing to translate investments in higher education into practical solutions to the country’s pressing development challenges.
Abbas said the disconnect between university curricula, teaching methods, research activities and industry needs had limited the ability of tertiary institutions to produce graduates equipped with the skills required to drive national development.
He made the remarks while delivering a keynote address titled “From Degrees to Development: Are Nigerian Universities Producing the Human Capital Nigeria Needs?” at the 2026 Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Board of Trustees Town Hall Meeting in Abuja.
The former vice-chancellor, who chaired the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities from 2024 to 2025, noted that despite substantial government investments in staff development, scholarships, research and laboratory infrastructure, Nigeria continued to struggle with critical human capital and development challenges.
Providing an overview of TETFund’s interventions, Abbas highlighted the agency’s support for academic training, scholarships, research and specialised facilities across tertiary institutions. However, he questioned why these investments had not translated into more significant solutions to the country’s problems.
“We are expanding education. We are putting money into education, but we still have issues to deal with. If so much has gone into education, why are we getting it wrong?” he asked.
Abbas Calls for Curricula Aligned With National Priorities
Abbas identified the misalignment between university curricula and Nigeria’s economic priorities as one of the major challenges facing the higher education sector.
He argued that universities must design academic programmes that respond to government development plans, employers’ expectations and the changing skills requirements of key economic sectors.
According to him, countries with stronger links between education and employment often align their academic programmes with national development objectives, enabling graduates to contribute more effectively to economic growth.
He urged TETFund to direct more of its interventions towards programmes and research areas that address national priorities and emerging skills needs.
Abbas also called for a shift in teaching and assessment methods, stressing that university education should equip students to solve real-life problems rather than merely memorise and reproduce information.
Drawing on his nearly three decades of experience in the university system, he said students’ assignments, research projects and dissertations should address practical challenges confronting communities, industries and the country.
He expressed concern over the duplication of existing research, noting that academic projects should generate fresh ideas, innovations and solutions rather than repeatedly examining issues that have already been extensively studied.
He maintained that examinations and other assessment methods should evaluate students’ ability to apply knowledge to practical situations, not just their capacity to recall information learned in the classroom.
Ex-VC Seeks Stronger University-Industry Partnerships
The former vice-chancellor identified weak collaboration between universities and industry as another obstacle to national development, arguing that the skills possessed by many Nigerian graduates did not adequately meet employers’ expectations.
He called for stronger partnerships between tertiary institutions and private-sector organisations to ensure that academic training, research and professional development programmes reflect industry needs.
To illustrate the benefits of such collaboration, Abbas cited an example from Malaysia, where concerns about accidents involving construction cranes reportedly prompted the government to seek solutions from universities.
According to him, investigations revealed that some crane operators lacked the technical knowledge required to operate increasingly computerised equipment safely.
He said universities subsequently developed training and certification programmes to improve operators’ competence, with certification becoming part of the country’s response to the problem.
Abbas said the example demonstrated how universities could deploy their expertise to address industry challenges, improve public safety and develop practical solutions to real-world problems.
He urged Nigerian universities to adopt similar approaches by working directly with industries to identify skills gaps, develop relevant training programmes and conduct research that responds to operational challenges.
He added that stronger partnerships could also help universities attract industry-funded research grants and transform academic knowledge into innovations with economic value.
Research Must Deliver Tangible Benefits, Abbas Says
Abbas further stressed the need to make university research more purposeful and responsive to Nigeria’s development priorities.
He said the country had qualified researchers and institutions capable of addressing many of its challenges but needed stronger links between research funding, national priorities and the practical application of research findings.
According to him, research outcomes should not remain confined to academic publications but should be translated into policies, technologies, products and services that improve people’s lives.
He urged TETFund to leverage its funding capacity to encourage research projects that deliver measurable economic and social benefits.
The former vice-chancellor maintained that the purpose of higher education should extend beyond awarding degrees to developing the knowledge, technical competence and problem-solving abilities needed to drive national progress.
He said aligning university curricula, teaching methods, research and industry requirements would enable Nigerian universities to produce graduates capable of supporting economic growth and addressing the country’s most pressing challenges.
