04/11/2025
𝗙𝗖𝗧 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆!
Yesterday, the FCT Department of Higher Education reaffirmed its strong commitment to tackling graduate unemployment and bridging Nigeria’s growing skills gap through a one-day Sensitisation Programme on Career Development and Employability Enhancement Initiatives.
The event held in collaboration with the Canadian Education Council (CEC) brought together students, educators, and stakeholders from universities, colleges of education, schools of health sciences, and other tertiary institutions across the FCT.
The goal? To equip young graduates with the right skills, mindset, and exposure to succeed in today’s competitive world of work.
Declaring the meeting open, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, Dr. Danlami Hayo (represented by Dr. Neemat Daud Abdulrahim, Director of the FCT Education Resource Centre), described the collaboration as “a new beginning in the drive to make tertiary education in the FCT globally competitive.”
“This sensitisation is a call to action. We must all work together to close the gap between academic training and the realities of the labour market,” he said.
Dr. Hayo also revealed plans to establish International Career Centres across FCT tertiary institutions to provide structured career guidance, mentorship, and international exposure for students, a move he described as “a welcome development.”
Speaking during the programme, Mr. Siyanbola O.O., Director of Higher Education, noted that many graduates struggle to get jobs because of the wide gap between classroom learning and real-world application.
“Most of the students we produce are difficult for the labour market to employ,” he said. “We need to produce graduates that are marketable, skilled, and industry-ready.”
In his lecture, Dr. Adeniyi John, Country Director of the Canadian Education Council, called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s education system to boost productivity and employability.
“Career development should not stop in the classroom,” he said. “It’s about discovering problems, finding solutions, and creating value.”
Dr. Adeniyi explained that the CEC is partnering with the FCT to establish International Career Centres, similar to successful models already operating in parts of Western Nigeria. These centres will help both students and educators develop innovative, solution-driven mindsets.
He also warned that the continuous production of unemployable graduates poses both reputational and financial risks to higher institutions, urging them to strengthen career counselling and practical training.
The sensitisation meeting ended with renewed commitments from all participants to strengthen partnerships, integrate employability training into academic programmes, and promote continuous career awareness across all tertiary institutions in the FCT.
The FCT Department of Higher Education remains committed to working closely with local and international partners including the Canadian Education Council to make tertiary institutions in the FCT models of excellence, innovation, and opportunity.
