The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti Alumni Association has called for an urgent and decisive end to the dichotomy between holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor’s degree certificates, stressing that the divide continues to frustrate skills development, innovation, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Monday in Ado Ekiti, the Publicity Secretary of the association, Busayo Adeyemi, said the discrimination against polytechnic graduates in the labor market has robbed thousands of competent professionals of equal opportunities for employment and career advancement. He argued that the practice undermines the nation’s industrialization drive by side-lining its technically skilled workforce.
Adeyemi stressed that employers worldwide now prioritize skills, problem-solving abilities, and innovation over mere paper qualifications. “Ending this divide is urgent. The world of work today values skills, innovation, and problem-solving over certificate titles. Nigeria cannot industrialise while side-lining its own technically skilled workforce,” he said.
The alumni body maintained that polytechnics in Nigeria, including the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, have proven their relevance by producing innovators, entrepreneurs, and professionals who have contributed significantly to national development. Adeyemi noted that rather than being diminished, the institutions should be celebrated as equal partners in the nation’s education and development agenda.
Highlighting the institution’s legacy, Adeyemi recalled that since its establishment in 1977, the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti has grown into one of Nigeria’s most prestigious higher institutions. According to him, the polytechnic has consistently produced graduates who excel in engineering, sciences, business, and technology, with many going on to achieve global recognition in advanced economies where their qualifications face no such discrimination.
“So why does Nigeria still place HND holders on lower rungs of the ladder, despite their competence and proven track record?” he asked. “The answer is outdated policies and prejudice, not lack of ability. It is time to enforce equity, scrap the dichotomy completely, and let Nigeria’s progress be driven by talent—not by labels.”
Adeyemi’s position resonates with long-standing calls across the country for the abolition of the HND–degree divide. Many polytechnics have already transitioned into degree-awarding institutions or universities of technology, yet the perception gap and policy barriers remain.
The alumni association noted that the divide discourages young Nigerians from embracing polytechnic education, despite its focus on practical training and technical expertise. They warned that unless equity is enforced, the country risks losing more talent to brain drain, as graduates seek recognition and opportunities abroad.
Meanwhile, the Association of Private Polytechnics in Nigeria has also lent its voice to the debate, urging President Bola Tinubu to act decisively. Its president, Dr. Benjamin Achiatar, emphasized the need for a legislative framework to enforce fairness and abolish the dichotomy once and for all.
Achiatar explained that although the National Council on Establishment had officially removed the discrimination on paper, its implementation across ministries, departments, and agencies remains poor. “The bill to back it up was passed at the ninth Senate but was not duly signed into law by the then president. Therefore, a new Bill needs to be sponsored or the previous one revisited by the present 10th National Assembly and sent to President Tinubu for his assent,” he said.
Stakeholders believe that scrapping the HND–degree divide will not only boost confidence in the polytechnic system but also expand Nigeria’s human capital base at a time when innovation and entrepreneurship are key drivers of national development.
For many polytechnic graduates, the lingering discrimination represents an unfair ceiling that undermines their contribution to the economy. As the calls grow louder, all eyes are now on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to take the bold step of abolishing the dichotomy in law and in practice, to ensure equity in the country’s higher education system.
