Employers fault university curricula over graduates’ skills gap

The panelists on the theme: “Talents, Values and Impact: Reimagining the University–Industry Nexus to Drive Ethical, Skilled and Globally Competitive Graduates," during the 2026 International Week of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), held recently at the J.F. Ade. Ajayi (Main) Auditorium, UNILAG, Akoka. Credit: UNILAG

Employers of labour have expressed worry about the quality of graduates being produced by tertiary institutions, raising questions about the relevance of curricula to workplace expectations.

The concerns were aired at a panel session themed “Talents, Values and Impact: Reimagining the University–Industry Nexus to Drive Ethical, Skilled and Globally Competitive Graduates,” held during the 2026 International Week of the University of Lagos recently.

The panel, moderated by Prof Ismail Ibraheem, Chairman of UNILAG Consult Ltd Management Board, comprised the Chief Operating Officer, KPMG Nigeria and West Africa, Toyin Gbagi; Executive Director, Operations, Stanbic IBTC, Mrs Funke Amobi; and Governor, Teaching and Learning, Banana Island International School, Moulinsade Marriott.

Other panellists were Vice-President, International Engagement and Service, King’s College London, Prof Funmi Olonisakin; Charles Wales of the University of Birmingham, UK; and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics and Research, UNILAG, Prof Matthew Ilori.

The panellists said there was an urgent need to bridge the gap between classroom learning and workplace expectations.

They reinforced the need to combine theoretical instruction with practical exposure, industry collaboration and opportunities for students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world problems.

Speaking, Gbagi lamented a decline in the quality of graduates seeking employment, noting that, during recruitment processes, it was usually a big struggle to get 10 competent hires out of 100 applicants.

To bring those employed up to speed with the realities of today’s work world, Gbagi said companies usually put in a lot of work and invest heavily in graduate training.

She questioned the relevance of courses and curricula, noting that there were countries that frequently evaluated their courses and revoked those with zero demand from employers.

She consequently called for regular evaluation of courses offered in tertiary institutions.

She added that curriculum review had become even more expedient owing to how artificial intelligence was influencing the workplace.

Gbagi said, “There is a decline in the quality of graduates from our tertiary institutions. The problem is always about the quality of hires, not the available quantity.

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“As a result, there is a lot of rigour that we put into the training of those that we hire. Universities must look beyond just sending their students on internships. There is a big question about curriculum relevance.

“How frequently do we evaluate courses? Sometimes, for some of these courses, the demand is zero. Courses are being revoked in countries that regularly embark on the evaluation of courses.”

Speaking, Amobi said universities must understand that today’s curriculum should produce graduates who are adept at aggregating and processing data.

She said universities must take employability more seriously as a principle in curriculum design.

“There has to be a closure in the bridge between academia and industry. We want graduates who would hit the ground running upon their employment. We need graduates that can process data; we need aggregators; we need them to be smart, visionaries with the use of technology,” Amobi said.

Marriott stressed that the employability of graduates was enhanced if they were critical thinkers, adaptable, resilient, flexible and driven by ethical values.

Olonisakin and Wales explored the value of university education, entrepreneurship training, industry expectations, the role of AI in professional life and the internationalisation of higher education.

Wales assured of stronger collaboration between the University of Birmingham and UNILAG to ensure that graduates were up to speed with ever-evolving workplace demands.

He stressed that stronger collaboration between academia and industry was essential to keeping university curricula relevant to evolving workplace demands.

Speaking, Ilori said universities must now take the lead in approaching industry for collaboration to ensure that curricula were modified to align with current industry demands.

“We have waited long enough for the industry to come. We will be charging towards the industry for the necessary collaboration to strengthen the quality of our graduates,” Ilori said.