What Nigerian Graduates Needs Is Job Creation, Not Submission Of Project -By Francis Philip

As Nigeria moves towards implementing a new policy requiring graduates to submit their final year projects or theses before they can be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), one may ask a critical question: Is this really what graduates need right now?

Though, academic integrity and data centralisation may have their place, this policy seems to miss the mark on what is truly urgent -is job creation in Nigeria. In a country where graduate unemployment is alarmingly high, where young people struggle daily to find meaningful work after NYSC, and where brain drain is accelerating, the government’s priorities must shift from paperwork to productivity.

Every year, thousands of Nigerian students graduate into an economy with shrinking job opportunities. Many serve their one year NYSC only to return home with no job prospects, no support systems, and no opportunities for upward mobility. What use is a project submission policy when there are no jobs waiting at the end of the academic pipeline?

Instead of introducing new bureaucratic hurdles, the government should be investing in youth employment programs, skills development, entrepreneurship hubs, and industry academic linkages that prepare students for the real world. Rather than require thesis uploads, why not mandate that universities offer students practical business or technical training with start-up support?

Doubtless, Policies like this, though perhaps well-intentioned, reflect a disconnect between government planning and the realities facing young Nigerians. They create more red tape but do not create jobs. They monitor student output but do not support student futures.

However, if the goal is national development, then the path must be through empowering young people economically. We need factories, farms, tech hubs, and local industries not just databanks. Nigeria’s young population is its greatest asset. If harnessed, it could transform the nation. But if ignored or over regulated, it could become a ticking time bomb.

Furthermore, At 65, Nigeria should be focusing on growth, innovation, and prosperity not additional academic formalities. What the Nigerian graduate needs is not just another document to submit, but a job to do, a future to believe in, and a country worth staying in.

In conclusion, a final year project paper is not the solution for graduates. The paper is thoroughly and meticulously reviewed by individuals who are trained to do so, so why is it now mandatory in the NYSC registration? Are they questioning the works reviewed by professors and university lecturers, or what?

Francis Philip
Mass communication
Kashim Ibrahim university, maiduguri.