Nigeria’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, has warned students that a university degree is no longer enough to secure employment in today’s fast-changing world.
He stressed that innovation, not just academic qualification, has become the real driver of job opportunities.
Udeh made the remarks over the weekend at a matriculation ceremony held at Cosmopolitan University in Abuja, where he addressed newly admitted students on the realities of the modern global job market.
According to him, graduates who rely solely on certificates risk being left behind, as employers now place higher value on creativity and technological skills.
“A graduate degree doesn’t translate to a job anymore. What translates to ‘job’ is innovation,” the minister said.
The minister was represented at the event by the Director-General of the National Centre for Technology Management, Olushola Odusanya.
He urged the students to fully embrace innovation and technology, noting that these tools are essential for shaping a better future for themselves and the country.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Cosmopolitan University, Carl Adams, described the matriculation ceremony as a major milestone for the newly admitted students.
In his remarks, the Registrar, Mani Ibrahim Ahmad, disclosed that the institution has secured approval from the National Universities Commission to introduce additional academic programmes.
