The Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Dr. Afiz Ogun, has identified practical skills acquisition as a critical pathway to national development, poverty reduction and improved economic opportunities for Nigerians.
Ogun stated this while delivering the guest lecture at the 20th Annual Lecture of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Alumni Association, held on Thursday in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
The lecture, themed “Repositioning Tertiary Education for Industrial Relevance in Nigeria,” brought together alumni, stakeholders, students and other distinguished guests to discuss ways of making tertiary education more responsive to the demands of industry and the changing global economy.
The ITF Director-General stressed that possessing practical skills could open doors to opportunities across geographical and linguistic boundaries, noting that individuals with relevant skills would always find avenues for recognition and better earnings.
He maintained that hands-on skills remained one of the most effective instruments for developing a nation and lifting people out of poverty.
Ogun illustrated his position with the example of Chinese expatriates working in Nigeria, observing that many of them had limited proficiency in spoken English but were able to secure employment and thrive because of their technical expertise and specialised skills.
He argued that the global economy increasingly places a premium on practical competence, making skills acquisition indispensable to individuals seeking to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive world.
Speaking on the significance of the lecture, the Global President of the LAUTECH Alumni Association Worldwide and Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Engr. Olalekan Badmus, said the theme addressed the urgent need to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industrial requirements.
Badmus described the gathering as more than an academic ceremony, saying it provided an opportunity to stimulate practical solutions, meaningful collaborations and purposeful interventions towards improving the nation’s education sector.
He commended the guest lecturer for highlighting the changing realities of global education and the growing importance of skills in determining economic relevance and employability.
According to him, education has moved beyond the traditional emphasis on classroom learning and certificates to a system that prioritises the application of knowledge to solve real-world problems.
He noted that the global education landscape had witnessed a significant shift from theory-based learning to practical-oriented curricula, adding that research should increasingly focus on developing products and delivering measurable solutions rather than producing bulky academic papers without tangible impact.
Badmus urged Nigerians to embrace forward-thinking approaches and take collective responsibility for the country’s development rather than leaving the task exclusively to those in positions of authority.
He expressed hope that conversations generated by the annual lecture would translate into practical actions capable of repositioning tertiary education and preparing graduates for the demands of the modern workplace.
The LAUTECH Alumni Association president reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting constructive engagements and initiatives that would contribute to the development of the university and the Nigerian education sector.
The annual alumni lecture, now in its 20th edition, has over the years provided a veritable platform for intellectual engagement, knowledge exchange and discussions on issues critical to national development.
