Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that the poor global standing of African universities could undermine the continent’s technological advancement, industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
Jonathan raised the concern on Monday in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled “Harnessing Industrial Capacity for Inclusive Growth and Regional Stability in Africa” to participants of Course 34 of the National Defence College.
‘Africa must rethink its education system’
The former President said Africa would struggle to achieve meaningful technological and industrial development without major investments in education and the creation of specialised institutions capable of producing highly skilled professionals.
Jonathan expressed concern that no African university currently ranks among the world’s top 100, while only the University of Cape Town features among the top 200.
Describing the situation as “terribly bad,” he called for a fundamental review of the continent’s education system, from primary schools to universities.
“We must review and recalibrate our businesses from the primary schools to the universities. We don’t have any specialised universities in Africa. It’s terribly bad,” he said.
Jonathan cites Singapore, India as examples
Jonathan pointed to Singapore and India as examples of countries that deliberately invested in education and specialised institutions to build human capacity and accelerate economic transformation.
According to him, Singapore’s development was driven largely by deliberate investment in education and capacity building despite its limited natural resources.
He also cited India’s investment in specialised institutions as a major factor behind its emergence as a global information technology hub.
Jonathan said African countries must move beyond an education system that produces graduates without the specialised skills demanded by modern economies.
‘Africa must focus on young people’
The former President urged African leaders to prioritise young people and establish institutions capable of developing expertise in science, technology, engineering and information technology.
He warned that Africa risks being left behind by the ongoing technological revolution if urgent action is not taken to strengthen human capital.
“IT is now ruling the world. We cannot continue to lag. We must focus on young people,” Jonathan said.
He added that Africa’s vast natural resources alone would not guarantee prosperity unless countries developed the capacity to transform those resources into high-value products and services.
Musa links industrialisation to security
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), said strengthening Nigeria’s industrial and defence capabilities was critical to sustainable economic growth, national resilience and security.
Musa stressed that peace and development were interconnected, noting that sustainable development could not thrive in an environment of insecurity.
He described industrial capacity as a strategic imperative for Nigeria and Africa, saying a resilient industrial base could improve competitiveness, create productive employment and strengthen national resilience.
The minister also called for stronger continental economic cooperation through initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He urged African countries to prioritise policies that promote education, industrialisation, innovation, economic cooperation and shared prosperity.
Jonathan: Africa can still change its story
Jonathan challenged emerging African leaders to use their positions to champion policies that strengthen education, technological capacity and industrial development.
He acknowledged that transforming Africa would not happen overnight but said sustained political commitment and citizen participation could change the continent’s trajectory.
“With a commitment by the leaders, a determination by the citizens, we can still change the story of Africa.”
