Nigerian universities are set for a major academic shift, as the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved over 879 new academic programmes in 2025 to better prepare students for today’s job market.
The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said the programmes were developed under the newly approved Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), designed to make Nigerian graduates more competitive globally.
Under the CCMAS framework, 70 per cent of each programme will focus on core national standards, while 30 per cent allows universities to tailor courses to their strengths and local needs.
Ribadu explained that the new programmes emphasise 21st-century skills such as digital literacy, entrepreneurship and problem-solving, depending on the discipline, to ensure students graduate with skills relevant beyond the classroom.
He also unveiled a seven-point agenda for his tenure, which includes expanding access to university education, improving funding, accelerating digital transformation, strengthening quality assurance, promoting research and innovation, stabilising the academic calendar, and reviewing outdated NUC laws.
According to him, these reforms are aimed at repositioning the Nigerian University System to meet both national development goals and global standards.
Ribadu added that the commission has continued to uphold quality through regular accreditation exercises and partnerships, including a collaboration with the University of Sussex, United Kingdom, to train and upskill Nigerian university lecturers.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.