The Talent Myth: Why Nigeria’s Youth Need Skills, Not Just Certificates
Every year, Nigerian universities graduate hundreds of thousands of young people. They leave with degrees, certificates, and the expectation of work. Too often, the response is silence. Job ads ask for “experience,” companies complain of a skills gap, and graduates remain unemployed.
This mismatch — many certificates but too few job-ready skills is one of our country’s greatest challenges. It is also an opportunity if we are willing to face it honestly.
I know this from personal experience. I studied Pure and Applied Chemistry at university and failed. It felt like a dead end. What changed my path was not another exam but the decision to teach myself. I spent hours on YouTube, took online courses, and sought guidance from mentors. Those efforts gave me the skills that allowed me to build companies and train others. It is also why I am committed to helping young people gain practical abilities that lead to real opportunities.
Since then, I have trained more than 10,000 people across Nigeria and Ghana in digital business, food technology, and entrepreneurship. The pattern is always the same. Those who succeed are the ones who can apply their knowledge. Certificates on their own do not guarantee that outcome.
Degrees Do Not Equal Jobs
Graduation is celebrated in every family. But the excitement often gives way to long months of unanswered applications. Employers say many graduates cannot demonstrate the skills needed in today’s workplace – whether digital literacy, communication, or problem-solving.
This does not mean school is worthless. Education matters. Passing your courses matters. But industries evolve faster than the curriculum. By the time a student finishes a four-year programme, technology may have already shifted. A degree should serve as a starting point, not the finish line.
Skills That Open Doors
Employers and markets reward people who can demonstrate ability. Skills that stand out include:
Digital know-how: from basic productivity tools to handling data.
Communication: not just speaking, but listening and solving problems in real time.
Adaptability: adjusting when tools or systems change.
Entrepreneurship: spotting needs and building solutions, even on a small scale.
Through Foodkix and Kixmenu, I saw this clearly. Students with no formal work experience began earning income as riders, restaurant tech operators, and small business owners. The certificate on their wall did not create those opportunities. Skills did.
Competing in a Global Market
Young Nigerians are no longer competing only with their peers at home. Work is now global. A designer in Ibadan can serve a client in London. A developer in Abuja can contribute to a project in Nairobi. What matters is ability.
Even major tech firms now hire based on skills tests, portfolios, and real projects. Certificates are secondary. Nigeria cannot afford to ignore this shift. If we continue to treat paper qualifications as the main measure of readiness, we will leave our youth behind.
Government and Business Have Roles to Play
Reform will not come through individuals alone. Government should modernise education so that coding, data analysis, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy are taught as core subjects from secondary school. Vocational and technical training should be seen as a respected path, not a fallback.
Businesses also need to change approach. Instead of constantly lamenting the skills gap, companies should create internships, apprenticeships, and structured training that give young people real experience.
Certificates Still Count, but Skills Keep You Relevant
Certificates can open doors. Skills keep you in the room. I have worked with many young people, and the ones who progress are those who learn and apply practical tools quickly.
One example stays with me. A young man from Lokoja attended one of our workshops. He decided to teach himself basic website design. Within months, he was building websites for local businesses, earning income, and steadily expanding his knowledge. His degree had not provided that chance. His willingness to build skills had.
A Crossroads for Nigeria
With over 60 percent of Nigerians under 25, we are sitting on immense potential. This can become an asset or a liability. If skills are widespread, this youthful energy will fuel innovation and jobs. If not, frustration and wasted potential will dominate.
The difference is clear: skills determine whether we gain a youth dividend or a youth crisis.
Closing
Nigeria cannot solve unemployment with certificates alone. Skills are the missing link. As someone who failed in school but rebuilt through self-learning and practical training, I have seen the difference skills make. They transform lives faster than certificates.
If we prepare young people with abilities suited to today’s economy and tomorrow’s opportunities, they will not just find work. They will create it.
Emmanuel Olorunshola is the founder of Digiville Nigeria Ltd, Twentysix Foodkix Ltd, and Kixmenu. He was named Innovative Tech Entrepreneur of the Year at the Titans of Tech Awards (2022) and received the ECOWAS Nelson Mandela Leadership Award for Excellence and Integrity (2023).
