Nigerian Varsities Producing Graduates, Not Solutions – Ex-Minister Ogbu

Former Minister of National Planning and Co-Chair of the National Economic Advisory Council, Prof. Osita Ogbu, has decried the declining relevance of Nigerian universities in solving societal problems, warning that the country risks mass-production of unemployable graduates if systemic reforms were not urgently implemented.

Speaking during the Kaduna edition of the Development as Attitude National Dialogue Series, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Prof. Ogbu lamented that the nation’s higher institutions were operating more as degree mills than centres of innovation and problem-solving.

“We think universities are set up to produce students, not to solve societal problems. That is one of our greatest crises,” he said.

Citing global examples, Ogbu contrasted Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape with that of the United States, where institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and Yale were actively engaged in national problem-solving, and Israel’s Hebrew University, which plays a strategic role in innovation and public policy.

He also referenced China’s rapid technological advancement, noting that the country’s ability to deploy thousands of engineers and skilled workers to support major global firms like Apple—an industrial feat he said remains far beyond Nigeria’s current capacity.

Ogbu, whose book ‘Development as Attitude’ inspired the national dialogue series, maintained that economic progress is unsustainable without a fundamental change in national mindset. He argued that for development to be meaningful, it must be accompanied by values such as accountability, civic responsibility, and institutional integrity.

“Development is not merely an economic process. It is a mindset shift that must permeate our institutions, governance systems, and national psyche,” he stated.

Reflecting on his academic career spanning decades, Ogbu noted with concern that the same issues of policy misalignment, poor governance, and unemployment he addressed 30 years ago still persist today. He attributed this to a lack of introspection and weak understanding of the root causes of underdevelopment. “When I go through old files, I still see the same problems I wrote about 30 years ago. What we’ve failed to address is how people themselves contribute to these recurring issues,” he added.

In his remarks, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, represented by Mr. Lawal Al-Hassan Habib, Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Finance, said the message of the Nigerian Hamilton Project aligns with the state government’s ongoing governance and institutional reforms.

He stressed that development must be driven by values and attitudinal change, not just fiscal discipline or budgetary allocations.

The event featured a panel of seasoned experts who dissected the multifaceted nature of Nigeria’s development challenges.

Dr. Habiba Lawal, former Special Adviser to the President on Policy, asserted that effective leadership requires not only vision but also the courage to implement hard decisions in the national interest. She stressed that infrastructure without integrity and transparency in governance would not yield sustainable outcomes.

Chairman/CEO of SUSMAN and Associates, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, praised Nigeria’s democratic continuity but lamented the erosion of a genuine social contract between the government and citizens. He called for a renewed understanding that citizens’ civic duties must be matched by the state’s responsibility to provide basic services.

Prof. Maryam Abdu, a Professor of Finance at Kaduna State University, warned that leadership devoid of accountability and foresight poses a threat to development. She identified integrity as a critical pillar in nation-building, without which institutions become weak and corruption thrives.

ESV Ishaya Idi, President, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, emphasised the need for coherent national planning and visionary leadership. He cautioned that development efforts lacking clear direction and adaptive governance mechanisms risk being ineffective.

Participants agreed that Nigeria’s journey towards meaningful development must be anchored in a shift from dependency to responsibility, from rhetoric to implementation, and from elite-driven policymaking to grassroots inclusion.

The Kaduna dialogue reiterated the objective of the Nigerian Hamilton Project to institutionalize development as a way of thinking and living, not merely a policy goal. Stakeholders called for strengthened public-private partnerships, enhanced policy execution, leadership reform, and civic reorientation.

Participants at the dialogue also agreed that Nigeria’s development trajectory must shift from dependence to responsibility, from rhetoric to implementation, and from elite-centred policymaking to grassroots participation.

The Kaduna dialogue marks another phase in the ongoing ‘Development as Attitude’ series, aimed at embedding accountability, innovation, and resilience into Nigeria’s cultural and institutional frameworks, beyond mere policy aspirations.