Skills over certificates crucial to $1trn economy goal — Minister

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has said that academic certificates alone cannot drive Nigeria’s economic growth, urging graduates to focus instead on applying their knowledge and skills to solve real-life problems.

Speaking on Saturday at the 35th convocation ceremony of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Tijani stressed that national prosperity depends on productivity, innovation and practical competence rather than paper qualifications.

Addressing the graduating students, the minister said certificates should be seen as tools for impact, not endpoints.

“While the certificates you’re taking home are important, they should not be the end of it all. As a nation, we do not grow by certificates; we grow through applied knowledge and productive skills,” he said.

He encouraged the graduands to view their degrees as instruments for service and transformation.

“You are not graduating because you have arrived. You are being deployed to make impact. Go out, find problems in your environment and use your skills to solve them for the benefit of society,” Tijani added.

According to him, Nigeria’s major challenge is not a lack of ambition but insufficient productivity, noting that a thriving economy is built when citizens apply their expertise with purpose.

“Farmers, teachers, engineers and public servants must raise the standards of what they do. Nigeria’s prosperity will not come from policies alone, but from millions of Nigerians applying their skills intentionally,” he said.

Tijani also urged universities to deliver quality and relevant education that addresses societal needs, aligning with the Federal Government’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy. He announced the donation of a digital laboratory to the university to strengthen technology education.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality education, describing investment in the sector as critical to the state’s future.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ayodeji Agboola, disclosed that 5,808 undergraduates graduated during the ceremony. Of the figure, 147 earned First Class honours, 2,051 made Second Class Upper Division, 2,927 obtained Second Class Lower, 571 graduated with Third Class, 26 had Pass grades, while 86 medical students were unclassified.

Agboola said the university, ranked 16th among 321 institutions nationwide, has maintained full accreditation for all its courses and recently introduced nine new programmes, including seven undergraduate and two postgraduate courses.

He also announced the appointment of three Professors Emeritus: Prof Adewale Sule-Odu, Prof Adetola Olatunji and Prof Sheriffdeen Tella.

The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Prof Toyin Ashiru, urged the graduates to uphold the institution’s values and protect their integrity, warning that reputational damage could be costly.

The event also featured the conferment of an honorary Doctor of Science degree on Mr Ayo Ojuroye, founder of Optimum Bank and Chairman of Mango Asset Management. In appreciation, Ojuroye pledged to construct a 750-seat ultra-modern complex at the university’s Sagamu campus within the teaching hospital.