By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

A German entrepreneurship expert, Prof. Harald von Korflesch of the University of Koblenz, has challenged Nigerian universities to abandon theory-driven entrepreneurship education and embrace practical, industry-linked training capable of producing job creators rather than job seekers.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at a two-day international conference on Academic Entrepreneurship, Knowledge and Technology Transfer for Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, Prof. von Korflesch warned that graduate unemployment would remain a major national challenge unless universities fundamentally rethink how entrepreneurship is taught.

He observed that while entrepreneurship courses have become widespread across Nigerian higher institutions, many programmes remain disconnected from industry realities, suffer inadequate funding and fail to provide students with hands-on business experience.

According to him, entrepreneurship should not be treated as a routine academic subject but as a professional discipline designed to equip students with the skills, mindset and competencies needed to establish and sustain businesses.

The German scholar called for stronger partnerships between universities and industry, arguing that exposing students to real-world entrepreneurial environments would significantly improve learning outcomes and innovation.

He also questioned the level of involvement of successful entrepreneurs in teaching entrepreneurship courses, insisting that practitioners with proven business experience should play a greater role in shaping future entrepreneurs.

Describing the current model as excessively theoretical, Prof. von Korflesch advocated experiential learning, mentorship programmes, innovation projects and practical training that would enable students to develop market-ready entrepreneurial skills.

With Nigeria grappling with a rapidly growing youth population and rising graduate unemployment, he said entrepreneurship education has become an urgent national necessity.

He urged universities and policymakers to focus on developing critical entrepreneurial competencies such as creativity, opportunity identification, leadership, risk management and problem-solving.

Without stronger funding mechanisms and closer collaboration between academia and industry, he warned, entrepreneurship programmes may continue to fall short of their goal of producing self-reliant graduates.

Earlier, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, echoed the call for a radical transformation of university education, stressing that institutions must equip students with skills that extend beyond traditional academic knowledge.

Represented by the NUC Director of Research, Innovation and Information Technology, Lawal Faruk, Ribadu said universities must produce graduates with entrepreneurial abilities, digital competencies, critical thinking skills and the adaptability required in today’s technology-driven economy.

He noted that the success of modern universities can no longer be measured solely by teaching and research excellence but by their ability to convert ideas into innovations, research into practical solutions and knowledge into societal impact.

The NUC boss emphasized that stronger collaboration among universities, government agencies, industry players and innovators is essential to bridging the gap between the classroom and the marketplace.

According to him, the Commission’s Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) framework was specifically designed to promote learner-centred, competency-based education that prepares graduates for emerging economic realities.

Ribadu maintained that such reforms would position universities to nurture entrepreneurs, drive technological advancement and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.

Also speaking, Programme Officer and Desk Officer for Nigeria at the DAAD Regional Office in Accra, Komivi Lasmothey, and Prof. Marc Kley of the University of Cologne, stressed the importance of international collaboration in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship.

They urged universities to strengthen research-industry linkages, equip students with practical skills and create opportunities for cross-border partnerships capable of transforming innovative ideas into sustainable ventures.

The conference brought together academics, policymakers, researchers and development partners to explore strategies for making Nigerian universities engines of innovation, enterprise and economic transformation.