Education
The University Degree Saga: Changing The Nigeria Academic Narrative
By Olutayo Irantiola
The unfolding University degree saga in Nigeria has brought to the fore the need for our country to look inward and strengthen our academic heritage. It is pretty unfortunate where we have found ourselves as a country. I am not a beneficiary of the heydays when university students each chicken on Sundays, but the system has continued to nosedive year in and year out.
It is getting to a point where the federal government needs to evaluate its students across the globe so that we can effectively understand our situation. What do people want from the Nigerian educational system to ascertain where we are getting it wrong? This brings to mind the number of students who are “exiled” so that they can get globally competitive certificates. In 2022 and 2023 respectively, Nigerian students experienced war in Sudan Russia and Ukraine.
One of the most disheartening things about our tertiary institution is that passing the West African Examination Council Nigeria (WASC), Joint Admission Matriculation Board Examinations, and Post-JAMB of the various institutions, you are not guaranteed admission into your course of choice and even the university of choice. You have to scramble for admission; seek a lecturer to help follow up on your admission. All these gave rise to people seeking admission in neighbouring countries.
With a burgeoning youthful population, there is a need for the government to enlarge the capacity of the various institutions, but we keep tightening the admission measures as typified above. We cannot continue to allow admission quotas to institutions every session and expect parents who do not know anyone to keep their children at home for years while waiting for admission.
Until recently, first-class degrees were rare in Federal and State Universities because many lecturers believed that God was the only one who owned first-class while the lecturer owned second-class upper degrees, and students could jostle second-class lower and third-class degrees. Whereas the labour market had labelled students with such degrees as “half-baked and unemployable”. All these made parents get loans to train their children in all these mushroom institutions in the neighbouring countries.
Aside from the deep-pocket Nigerians who can afford to send their children to Ivy League universities in Europe and America, people are looking for ways in which their wards will save years in the university due to the incessant strikes that last many months. Meanwhile, the government and the academic workforce have little or nothing to lose at the expense of the students’ lives. How long will Nigerian students have a timeline for completing a bachelor’s degree programme?
Another issue we have as a country is the conversion of all tertiary levels of education to Universities. No institution trains teachers again; it is now a University; no institution trains technicians again, and everyone wants to become an Engineer. People without a University education cannot go beyond certain levels in Civil Service, amongst other limitations we place on our nationals. Then, people can troop into another country to get a University degree of any type. This unrealistic demand of society has pushed students out of the country.
It might be a bitter pill to swallow, but people will want to go for any form of education, and the recent increase in fees paid in Nigerian tertiary institutions is not encouraging. Truly, the government is doing everything to reduce subsidies across the board, but Nigerians cannot see the additional value to the students. People will only go for a shortcut to beat the system as well.
There is a growing phenomenon now, Nigerians are gunning for honorary doctorate degrees, and all of these degrees are coming from the same institutions that the Ministry of Education is suspending the accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from in Benin Republic, Togo, Uganda, Kenya and Niger Republic. Do we need to wait for a Crisis to break out before we take the appropriate steps?
I am not justifying wrongs, but it is a charge for the government and academic leaders to wake up from their age-long slumber; they need to find ways of redeeming the educational image of the country and overhauling the educational sector. A quote by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, “To attain the goals of economic freedom and prosperity, Nigeria must do certain things as a matter of urgency and priority. It must provide free education at all levels and free health facilities for the masses of its citizens”. If it is not free now, we need to get it right if we will stop falling to the tricks being paid on Nigerians by other countries in our search for certificates.
Olutayo Irantiola, a Lagos-based PR Consultant, Playwright and Biographer, blogs on www.peodavies.com.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Plans have been concluded by Nigerian Breweries to support about 1,000 Nigerian students in Lagos, Ogun, and Enugu States.
The foremost brewing company is carrying out this empowerment initiative with a leading non-profit organisation, FATE Foundation, through the Orange Corners Student Ambassadors Programme of the Netherlands.
This partnership marks a significant step in advancing youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to build sustainable businesses and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.
This is because the scheme is to promote entrepreneurship and offer networking opportunities in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Ambassadors are selected from specific universities to inspire students to see entrepreneurship as a desirable career path and to foster a culture of innovation within universities.
It targets students aged 18–35 currently enrolled in tertiary institutions across Lagos, Ogun, and Enugu States.
“The partnership reinforces Nigerian Breweries’ long-standing commitment to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship development. Through initiatives like this, we are creating pathways for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in Nigeria,” the Corporate Affairs Director for Nigerian Breweries, Mr Uzodinma Odenigbo, stated.
He further highlighted the company’s track record in youth empowerment, noting that since the renewed focus on youth empowerment and entreprenuership, Nigerian Breweries has impacted 2,365 young Nigerians across 24 states and the FCT.
Also speaking on the partnership, the Executive Director of FATE Foundation, Ms Adenike Adeyemi, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration between Nigerian Breweries and the Orange Corners Programme.
“Nigerian Breweries has been a longstanding partner with Orange Corners Nigeria in many ways. We are delighted to have the company continue to support the Orange Corners Programme and elated that this commitment will reach an additional 1000 young Nigerians leveraging the proven Orange Corners Student Ambassadors framework,” she said.
Ms Adeyemi outlined FATE Foundation’s role to include designing and delivering the training curriculum, managing student registration and participation, maintaining accurate records of all beneficiaries, and coordinating all logistical and technical aspects to ensure successful programme delivery.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has announced the reopening of the 47 unity schools earlier shut down due to security concerns on November 21.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday.
It said that the decision to reopen the affected colleges across the country reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding students and ensuring the continuity of education.
On November 18, 2025, over 20 schoolgirls were kidnapped by unidentified armed men from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.
Just three days later, on November 21, about 303 students and 12 teachers were kidnapped at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger state.
In response, the federal government shut down 47 Federal Unity Colleges, and some states including Katsina, Taraba, and Niger also closed schools or restricted school activities, particularly boarding institutions.
Rights group including Human Rights Watch lamented that while these measures were aimed at protecting students, they disrupted learning for thousands of children, denied them access to education, and the social and psychological support schools provide.
FULL LIST OF AFFECTED UNITY COLLEGES
North-West:
FGGC Minjibir, FTC Ganduje, FGGC Zaria, FTC Kafanchan, FGGC Bakori, FTC Dayi, FGC Daura, FGGC Tambuwal, FSC Sokoto, FTC Wurno, FGC Gusau, FGC Anka, FGGC Gwandu, FGC Birnin Yauri, FTC Zuru, FGGC Kazaure, FGC Kiyawa, FTC Hadejia.
North-East:
FGGC Potiskum, FGC Buni Yadi, FTC Gashua, FTC Michika, FGC Ganye, FGC Azare, FTC Misau, FGGC Bajoga, FGC Billiri, FTC Zambuk.
North-Central:
FGGC Bida, FGC New-Bussa, FTC Kuta-Shiroro, FGA Suleja, FGC Ilorin, FGGC Omu-Aran, FTC Gwanara, FGC Ugwolawo, FGGC Kabba, FGGC Bwari, FGC Rubochi, FGGC Abaji.
South-West:
FTC Ikare Akoko, FTC Ijebu-Imusin, FTC Ushi-Ekiti, FTC Ogugu.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Online learning platforms, Coursera and Udemy, have reached an agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction, with the combined company’s implied equity value estimated at approximately $2.5 billion.
The agreement, unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of directors, stipulates that Udemy shareholders will receive 0.8 shares of Coursera common stock for each Udemy share held.
Upon completion of the merger, Coursera shareholders are expected to own about 59 per cent and Udemy shareholders approximately 41 per cent of the new entity on a fully diluted basis.
The combined company will continue under the Coursera name, and maintain its headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Coursera, founded in 2012 by Mr Andrew Ng and Ms Daphne Koller, is an online learning platform with 191 million registered users as of September 30, 2025. It collaborates with over 375 universities and industry partners to offer courses, specialisations, professional certificates, and degrees.
The platform includes features such as generative AI (gen AI) tools (Coach, Role Play, Course Builder) and role-based solutions (Skills Tracks) to support scalable and personalised learning. Coursera is used by institutions for workforce development in fields such as gen AI, data science, technology, and business.
Udemy is a platform that provides on-demand, multi-language courses to help companies and individuals develop technical, business, and soft skills. It uses AI to offer personalised learning experiences and supports workforce development in a changing workplace.
Mr Greg Hart, currently CEO of Coursera, is set to lead the enlarged organisation as CEO after the merger.
The board will consist of nine members. Six from Coursera’s board, including chairman Mr Ng and CEO Mr Hart, and three from Udemy’s board.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in which AI is rapidly redefining the skills required for every job across every industry.
“Organisations and individuals around the world need a platform that is as agile as the new and emerging skills learners must master,” Mr Hart said.
The combination is said to create a complete ecosystem of top instructors supported by AI tools, data-driven insights, and broader distribution, enabling more engaging, personalised, and dynamic learning at scale.
Projected operational efficiencies include anticipated annual run-rate cost synergies of $115m within two years after closing.
Udemy CEO, Mr Hugo Sarrazin said: “For more than 15 years, Udemy has helped millions of people master in-demand skills at the speed of innovation.
“Through this combination with Coursera, we will create meaningful benefits for our learners, enterprise customers, and instructors, while delivering significant value to our shareholders, who will participate in the substantial upside potential of the combined company.”
The merger is anticipated to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory clearances, approval by both companies’ shareholders, and other customary closing conditions.
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