The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, has charged Nigerian universities to play a more active role in advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of a prosperous, trillion-dollar economy that delivers measurable benefits to citizens.
Dr Tijani said universities, as centres of teaching and research, carry a special responsibility to convert academic excellence into economic value and transform human capital into national productivity. According to him, when institutions align learning with real societal needs, classrooms become “living laboratories,” research addresses real constraints, and knowledge directly improves livelihoods.
The minister spoke on Saturday while delivering the 35th Convocation Lecture of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. At the ceremony, he donated a digital innovation laboratory to the 42-year-old state-owned university to strengthen technology literacy, digital advancement and access to opportunities.
The event also featured the conferment of an honorary doctorate on the founder of Optimum Bank and Chairman of Mango Asset Management, Mr Ayo Ojuroye, alongside the award of higher degrees, diplomas and PhD certificates to graduating students.
Titled “A Memo Addressed to the University, to Our Graduates, to Government, Industry and Alumni,” Tijani’s lecture emphasised that the strength of any nation’s economy mirrors the relevance of its universities, the quality of their graduates and the productivity of the workforce.
While acknowledging Nigeria’s significant investment in education and the expansion of access through over 270 tertiary institutions nationwide, the minister argued that the country’s defining challenge has shifted from access to impact.
“Certificates are important, but nations do not grow on certificates alone,” he said, stressing that development is driven by applied knowledge and productive skills produced by relevant institutions.
According to Tijani, Nigeria’s challenge is no longer ambition but productivity, urging graduands to raise standards in their respective fields and apply their skills with purpose. He noted that national progress would not be measured by the number of policies formulated, but by how effectively skills and knowledge are deployed to solve real-world problems.
“The most powerful contribution a university can make is excellent teaching, relevant research and knowledge applied to real problems,” he said, adding that development is the outcome of relevance, not an add-on to scholarship.
Representing the Visitor to the University and Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Deputy Governor, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, commended OOU for its contributions to both the state and the nation. She reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to education, describing it as the most powerful instrument for shaping society.
The Ogun State Government announced a ₦2 million award for the Best Overall Graduating Student, David Bamidele Ajayi, and ₦500,000 each for best graduating students across various faculties.
In his remarks, honorary awardee Ayo Ojuroye pledged to support the university with the construction of a 750-seater auditorium at the College of Health Sciences, Sagamu. He urged graduands to give back to the institution that shaped them.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, highlighted key achievements of his administration, including the upgrade of the university’s internet capacity from 300mbps to 1,500mbps to enhance access to online academic resources.
He also praised the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), noting that thousands of OOU students had benefited from the scheme, helping indigent students remain in school and complete their education.
