Employers have called for a review of Nigerian university curricula to address what they described as a gap between classroom learning and the practical skills required in the workplace.
The call was made during a panel discussion at the 2026 International Week of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where education leaders, business executives and international academics examined ways to prepare graduates for changing workplace demands.
The session, themed “Talents, Values and Impact: Reimagining the University–Industry Nexus to Drive Ethical, Skilled and Globally Competitive Graduates,” focused on closer collaboration between universities and employers.
The Chief Operating Officer of KPMG Nigeria and West Africa, Toyin Gbagi, said employers sometimes struggled to find sufficiently qualified candidates during recruitment exercises.
She said that, in some cases, organisations found it difficult to identify 10 competent candidates from a pool of 100 applicants and had to spend considerable resources training newly recruited graduates.
Gbagi urged universities to review their programmes regularly and assess whether the skills being taught remain relevant to the labour market. She said such reviews had become increasingly necessary as artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies change workplace requirements.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Operations at Stanbic IBTC, Funke Amobi, said employability should be a central consideration in curriculum design.
She identified the ability to collect, interpret and process data, as well as technological competence, among the skills graduates need to work effectively in contemporary organisations.
Amobi called for closer ties between universities and industry, saying employers increasingly expect graduates to understand workplace processes and contribute meaningfully when recruited.
Moulinsade Marriott, Governor of Teaching and Learning at Banana Island International School, highlighted critical thinking, adaptability, resilience, flexibility and ethical conduct as qualities that could improve graduates’ employability.
Other contributors discussed entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and international collaboration as part of efforts to prepare students for evolving professional demands.
Professor Funmi Olonisakin, Vice-President for International Engagement and Service at King’s College London, and Charles Wales of the University of Birmingham were among the participants.
Wales expressed support for stronger collaboration between the University of Birmingham and UNILAG to help prepare graduates for changing workplace expectations.
UNILAG’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academics and Research, Professor Matthew Ilori, urged universities to take a more proactive approach to engaging employers rather than waiting for industries to initiate partnerships.
He said stronger collaboration could help institutions identify emerging skills requirements and adjust their academic programmes accordingly.
