Professor Adenike Oladiji, Vice-Chancellor, FUTA
As Nigeria grapples with a widening gulf between academic qualifications and real-world skills, the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) is taking steps to bridge the divide.
In a country where employers routinely lament the lack of industry-ready graduates, FUTA is transforming the way it prepares students for life after graduation. In November 2025, the University invited Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, to discuss practical strategies for addressing Nigeria’s skills challenge. However, beyond the headlines, the move reflects a more profound shift in the University’s educational philosophy.
According to Vice-Chancellor Professor Adenike Oladiji, convocation lectures — once viewed as ceremonial — are now an essential part of FUTA’s efforts to make learning more relevant. By scheduling the lecture on the same day as the degree awards, FUTA ensured that nearly 3,000 graduating students were present to hear from Kayode, who discussed the roles of governments, institutions and youth in transforming skills development.
“Convocation lectures are not just an academic tradition,” Oladiji said. “They are a platform to prepare our graduates to confront the realities of the world they are stepping into.”
FUTA’s approach signals a broader need for Nigerian universities to shift from theory-heavy curricula to practical skill-building — a shift many say is overdue.
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