Nigeria’s Certificate Culture Fuelling Skills Deficit, Says Firm Chief

Founder and chief executive officer of Learning Impact Model Limited, Mr Omagbitse Barrow, has identified Nigeria’s widening skills deficit and an overemphasis on certificates as major constraints to organisational performance, innovation and national development.

Barrow made theassertion at a virtual media briefing organised by the company as part of its ongoing contribution to informed public discourse on leadership, organisational effectiveness and workforce development in Nigeria.

The briefing was aimed at sharing evidence-based insights from Learning Impact Model’s engagements with organisations across the public and private sectors, while also examining persistent challenges that hinder the translation of strategy into measurable outcomes.

Drawing from the firm’s experience across several industries, Barrow said that despite the growing number of graduates and professional certifications, the quality of human capital in Nigeria remains inadequate. According to him, this gap continues to limit productivity, innovation and the country’s ability to fully realise its potential.

He attributed the challenge partly to what he described as Nigeria’s “acute certificate syndrome”, where the pursuit of academic and professional qualifications takes precedence over genuine learning and skills acquisition.

Barrow noted that each year, many young people leave tertiary institutions with certificates but lack practical competence, a situation he referred to as the absence of “Sabificate” — the ability to apply knowledge effectively.

Barrow further criticised the country’s traditional education system for focusing almost entirely on Intelligence Quotient (IQ) at the expense of Emotional and Social Intelligence (EQ). Citing studies from Harvard University, he said research shows that about 85 per cent of individual success is driven by EQ, while only 15 per cent is linked to IQ.

He warned that neglecting emotional and social skills shortchanges children and young people and undermines long-term personal and professional success.

To address this gap, he explained that Learning Impact Model, through its Life Skills Africa initiative, is developing curricula, games, storybooks and courses designed to build emotional and social intelligence among children and youth.

Barrow also advocated micro-learning as a practical solution for workforce development, describing it as targeted learning tailored to specific personal and professional needs. While micro-learning has recorded significant success in Europe, America and Asia, he said its adoption in Nigeria remains limited. This gap, he added, inspired the creation of Online Efiko, a platform designed to curate and deliver relevant micro-learning content to Nigerian professionals.

In addition, Barrow expressed concern about the growing culture of shallow information consumption driven by sensational headlines in the digital age. He noted that this is a global challenge, not unique to Nigeria.

As part of its response, he said the company is working to bridge traditional and modern media by providing full digital versions of Nigerian newspapers, encouraging professionals and organisational leaders to reconnect with in-depth reading and critical thinking.