NITDA Urges Nigerian Universities to Move Beyond Certificate-Based Education

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has called on Nigerian universities to move beyond certificate-based education and adopt a capability-driven system that equips graduates with practical skills to solve real-world problems and drive innovation.

Inuwa made the call while delivering a keynote address titled, “From Scientific Discovery to National Prosperity: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Convergent Innovation to Transform Nigeria,” at the 3rd International Biennial Conference of the College of Physical Sciences (CCOPHS 2026) at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

Represented by the Director of Special Duties, Dr Abisoye Olusola, the NITDA Director-General said there was a need to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical application by transforming scientific research into viable solutions, enterprises and measurable socio-economic impact.

He challenged university leadership to develop an innovative 12-month action agenda that would move the conference from declarations to demonstrable impact through measurable, high-impact initiatives.

According to him, the proposed agenda should include identifying priority national challenges within 90 days, establishing multidisciplinary research teams and developing prototypes within six months.

He further called for researchers to test solutions with communities and industry partners within nine months and deliver validated innovations and measurable outcomes within 12 months.

Addressing students, Inuwa said academic qualifications should serve as a foundation for developing capabilities needed to thrive in an evolving digital economy.

He identified critical thinking, digital and artificial intelligence literacy, collaboration, creativity and problem-solving as essential skills for students.

The NITDA boss also stressed the importance of collaboration among government, academia, industry, investors and communities in translating scientific discoveries into practical innovations capable of addressing challenges in agriculture, healthcare, climate resilience and other critical sectors.

He said Nigerian universities must become engines of innovation by producing graduates who possess not only academic qualifications but also the problem-solving capabilities required to transform knowledge into solutions and scientific excellence into national prosperity.