Labour Market Demand and University Graduate Employability Skills in North-West Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

            Education is a means of empowerment to an individual and the society. Also, it is a strong weapon for developing human capacity needed for a sustainable national development. Tertiary education, which comprises universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and mono technics, has been identified as a means of developing human capacity required for sustainable national growth and development. Specifically, universities are saddled with the responsibility of developing high-level manpower within the context of the needs of the nation. Following the globalisation, information technology and revolution in the present day knowledge-based economy, so much expectation has been placed on universities in generating, harnessing and transmitting knowledge for sustainable development and improved standard of living. Therefore, the university plays a crucial role in generating the human capacities for leadership, management and technical expertise.

            All over the world, investment in university education is a critical component of national development effort. Nations today depend largely on knowledge, ideas and skills which are produced in universities (World Bank, 1997; OECD, 1996). As a nation’s knowledge industry, the university increases the productive capacity of the labour force. In the developed countries, for example, university’s scientists are able to monitor global technological trends, assess their relevance to national needs and assist in developing the national technological capacity for economic growth.    

            Going by this trend, there has been high demand for university education in Nigeria since independence in order to increase the supply of manpower in the labour market. Following the recommendation of the Ashby Commission of 1959 that new universities should be established in the then three Regions and Lagos, the then Capital Territory, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the University of Ibadan together with University of Lagos, Lagos were established as the first generation of universities in Nigeria. It is important to note that since then the University system in Nigeria has grown by leaps and bounds. The number of universities has increased from five in 1962 to one hundred and twenty-eight (128) in 2013, comprising 40 Federal, 38 State and 50 private universities (Okojie, 2013) and a total number of 151 in 2016 (National University Commission, 2016).