The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami has said that Nigeria’s major problem is the unemployability of graduates in the country.
He urged education institutions to focus more on developing talents rather than churning certificates.
Pantami made the remark while delivering his goodwill message at the prize presentation ceremony of the Katsina National Talent Hunt Challenge, held in Katsina, on Tuesday.
In his words: “I always tell you, that our major challenge in Nigeria today is not unemployment but rather it is more of unemployability.
“Why I said so is this, there are many job opportunities but most of our youths with certificates, like my humble self, if you employ them, they will not be able to do the work you have employed them to do.
“There are many jobs in technical engineering, road construction, ICT, oil and gas, but you will discover that on a daily basis, foreigners are coming into the country to do the technical job for us in most sectors.”
According to Pantami, there is a need for a paradigm shift in the mindset of graduates in the country from going after government employment to entrepreneurship.
“The only way we will be able to improve our economy is by addressing the issue of unemployment and unemployability, giving more priority and preference to the youths that have brilliant ideas and are willing to be self-reliant and in turn, they will be able to employ others,” he said.
He also urged government at all levels and well meaning individuals “to focus more on identifying our young people, giving them all the necessary support they need, so as to create more jobs and be able to bring a paradigm shift, with which we would be producing potential job providers instead of potential job seekers.”
He said it would go a long way in not only creating more job opportunities but addressing problems of unemployment and by extension, solving the challenges bedeviling the country.
Speaking during the occasion, the State Governor, Aminu Masari said the objective of the competition was to encourage innovations and develop the potential talents of Katsina youths and the country at large.
