The interviewer moved beyond her credentials and zeroed in on something less tangible but far more critical; her ability to apply what she knew in practical situations. Jennifer faltered. When asked to translate her knowledge into real-world scenarios, she struggled.

By the end of the session, the verdict was shaped not by what she had studied but by how she demonstrated it. “He told me I wasn’t maintaining eye contact with him. When he asked me questions, I looked away.

He said I wasn’t confident enough, as he needed someone who could speak boldly. Incidentally, I have been in some other interviews where I had looked at the interviewers eyeball to eyeball, and they felt if I were employed, I would challenge them since I would be fearless,” she said. Jennifer’s experience reflects a widening concern across Nigeria, where graduates are leaving school without the skills required to function effectively in today’s workplace.

For many observers, the issue goes beyond individual shortcomings. It exposes structural flaws in the education system and highlights a long-standing divide between academic qualifications and workplace competence. At the heart of Nigeria’s graduate employability crisis lies a deeply rooted perception that university degrees are inherently superior to Higher National Diplomas (HND).

Over the years, this belief has shaped career paths and hiring practices, particularly within the public sector, where university graduates often enjoy higher entry levels and faster promotion prospects than their polytechnic-trained counterparts. The result is a system that prioritises credentials over competence. For many young Nigerians, the goal is no longer simply to gain knowledge or develop expertise, but to obtain a university degree, often seen as a ticket to better career opportunities.

In the process, the emphasis on practical skills and real-world application is frequently diminished. Historically, polytechnics were designed to provide hands-on, industry-oriented training, while universities focused on theoretical and academic instruction. Over time, however, this functional distinction evolved into a hierarchy reinforced by employers and policymakers.

Efforts to bridge this gap have yielded limited results. In 2018, the National Council on Establishment approved a policy to align the entry grade levels of HND holders with those of university graduates in the federal civil service. While the policy theoretically allows both groups to progress to the highest levels, implementation has been uneven.

Many HND holders argue that the disparity remains entrenched. Career progression, they say, often depends on acquiring additional university qualifications such as postgraduate diplomas or master’s degrees. A 2022 memo from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation appeared to reinforce these concerns, suggesting that HND holders may still face promotion ceilings unless they obtain further academic credentials, while university graduates often advance without such requirements.

In a renewed attempt to resolve the dichotomy, the federal government has proposed granting polytechnics the authority to award Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degrees. The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said the proposed amendments to the Polytechnic Act are aimed at elevating the status of polytechnic education while preserving its core strength; i.e. practical and industry-driven training. The reform aligns with a broader push to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), particularly in sectors such as renewable energy, agrotechnology, digital manufacturing and climate-resilient solutions.

Supporters view the proposal as a pathway to restoring the value of skills-based education. However, scepticism persists, largely due to the poor implementation record of past reforms. Stakeholders warn that without clear execution frameworks, institutional buy-in and sustained funding, the initiative may struggle to deliver meaningful change.

Contradictions in unemployment data The skills gap debate is unfolding against a complex and sometimes contradictory unemployment landscape. Official figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), based on its revised methodology, place Nigeria’s unemployment rate between 4.3 and 4.8 percent in recent projections. However, estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggest a far more severe reality, with unemployment exceeding 22 percent.

According to the NBS second-quarter 2024 report, the unemployment rate stood at 4.3 per cent, down from 5.3 per cent in the first quarter. Data from the agency’s 2023 Labour Force Survey shows