Former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, has called on the Nigerian government to prioritise science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, saying it is critical to economic transformation and the country’s global competitiveness.
Nnaji made the call while delivering the 2026 Founder’s Day Lecture at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, on October 7, where he spoke on the theme, “Grappling with the Challenges of the 21st Century through Higher Education in Nigeria.”
He said Nigeria must learn from countries such as China, India and Vietnam, which have invested significantly in education, science and technology to accelerate economic growth.
“We must prioritise STEM in everything we do to enable our dear nation to leapfrog,” Nnaji said.
He argued that Nigeria’s higher institutions should focus on addressing the country’s challenges and advancing Africa’s aspirations, in line with the vision behind the establishment of the University of Nigeria in 1960.
“The vision that resulted in the establishment of the University of Nigeria at Nsukka in 1960 is still important in contemporary Nigeria. We need our higher institutions primarily devoted to Nigeria’s problems and Africa’s aspirations,” he said.
The professor also expressed concern over the mass departure of skilled Nigerians in search of better opportunities abroad, attributing the trend partly to inadequate economic and business opportunities for young people.
He noted that about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population was aged 18 and below, arguing that the government should pay greater attention to their future.
“We should, therefore, be deeply concerned with the future of the youth. We should be concerned with questions of economic and business opportunities available to them. However, we are not,” he said.
According to him, the lack of sufficient opportunities has contributed to the departure of doctors, engineers, pharmacists, accountants, technology experts and other professionals from the country.
Nnaji cited India’s investment in its Indian Institutes of Technology as an example of how sustained commitment to science and technology can produce globally competitive professionals.
He recalled that India had only five such institutions when he visited the country in 1989, but now has 23.
He said graduates of the institutions had gone on to occupy prominent positions in leading global companies, demonstrating the benefits of prioritising technical education.
The professor also pointed to Vietnam’s economic progress, noting that the Southeast Asian country had transformed itself into a major industrial hub despite its history of war and economic hardship.
He contrasted Vietnam’s economic growth with Nigeria’s performance, arguing that the comparison demonstrated the consequences of failing to invest adequately in productive education and technological development.
“Vietnam is the latest Southeast Asian nation to stun the world with its development miracle,” he said.
Nnaji further cited China as an example of a country that had used scientific and technical expertise to drive national development, noting the prominence of engineers and natural scientists in its leadership and civil service.
He, however, clarified that prioritising STEM education should not come at the expense of the humanities, arts and business studies.
According to him, scientific and technological advancement must be complemented by human creativity and management expertise.
“The arts and technology should on no account be seen as mutually exclusive but rather mutually reinforcing,” he said.
He added that economics and management studies were equally important for countries seeking to compete effectively in the 21st century.
Nnaji also called for increased government funding for education, describing investment in productive education and research as essential to innovation and economic growth.
He criticised Nigeria’s low education spending, citing figures in his lecture that placed the country near the bottom of a global ranking of education investment as a proportion of gross domestic product.
He urged universities to adopt entrepreneurial approaches to teaching and research and establish stronger partnerships with businesses to translate academic discoveries into practical economic benefits.
Using the United States as an example, he highlighted how collaboration among government agencies, universities and industries had supported innovation, created businesses and generated patents.
Nnaji also identified initiatives such as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria, Terra Industries Limited, the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, and Geometric Power’s Aba Integrated Power Project as examples of efforts that could contribute to national development.
He expressed confidence that fundamental reforms in higher education would improve Nigeria’s economic prospects and strengthen its position internationally.
“The dignity of the African and the Black man will be fully restored only when Nigeria rises,” he said.
He added that higher education remained a critical strategy for Nigeria’s emergence as a globally competitive nation.
