“Why must we import everything?” As a child, I frequently asked this question whenever I noticed the “Made in China” or “Made in Japan” labels on my toys, television, or other electronics. It was surprising to me that a country as vast and resourceful as ours struggled to produce even the basics for itself. I often wonder why local businesses struggle to grow when facing so much competition from foreign goods.
Yet, homegrown fintechs like Paystack and Flutterwave prove Nigeria has the talent to succeed on a global scale. However, if we truly want to become a nation of producers rather than just consumers, this journey must start well before the boardroom or marketplace. It must begin in our classrooms where children learn to create, design, and sell, not just to pass exams.
Nigeria’s education system faces a two-fold crisis: not only are an estimated 10.5 million children out of school, but the education provided often fails to equip students with the skills they need to succeed. The manufacturing industry simply isn’t creating enough jobs or value to address Nigeria’s massive unemployment problem. In 2024, manufacturing value added stood around the low teens as a percentage of GDP. If schools remain detached from industry, the country will keep exporting raw ambition and importing finished goods. This is a choice we can change by reforming curriculum, pedagogy, and partnerships.
What to Teach, and When
A production-first curriculum should start with basic skills in early childhood and build on them progressively.
Primary School: Education should anchor literacy and numeracy in practical application. Through guided projects that involve deconstructing and understanding objects, children can learn how items are made and how they function. These hands-on lessons build curiosity and mechanical confidence.
Junior Secondary School: The curriculum should introduce students to foundational skills in woodworking, basic electronics, textiles, and digital literacy. Students would work on small-scale projects like building a village bench or a simple lamp, which directly incoporate learning to their lifestyle.
Senior Secondary School: This level should offer three clear applied streams: Industrial Technology, Agribusiness and Bio-processing, and Energy and Mobility. These programs must teach practical skills like CAD, basic machining, solar installation, and preventive maintenance. The goal is for every student to graduate with at least two competency badges aligned with the National Skills Framework. The existing Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) can serve as a foundation for these credentials, making learning portable and visible to employers.
How To Teach It
Schools must understand that theory doesn’t produce skilled workers. They should prioritise a project-based approach to learning. Imagine a term where each class designs, builds, tests and sells a product.
This is not just a theory but a proven model. Dual training, which combines classroom instruction with real-world experience, is a known pathway to success. The German-inspired SKYE program in Nigeria, for example, shows that blending classroom instruction with on-the-job training dramatically improves a graduate’s chances of employment. Scaling these kinds of programs, adapted for our local needs, will directly connect students to jobs and entrepreneurship.
We can also draw lessons from our own indigenous systems. The Igbo apprenticeship system is a powerful example of how hands-on learning, access to capital, and strong community networks can create thousands of small businesses. Formal education should borrow from its principles of mentorship and capital progression to help students launch their own enterprises straight out of school.
Systemic Changes That Matter
Making this vision a reality requires a few strategic policy changes.
First, we must dedicate more classroom hours to labs and fieldwork. Funding shared maker-labs at the local government level can give multiple schools access to the right equipment. To ensure these skills are valuable, we must make sure they are certified and officially recognised by employers.
Next, we need to partner with industries. Key sectors like construction, furniture, agro-processing, and electronics should commit to taking on apprentices and evaluating student projects. This will directly connect learning with the demands of the workplace. We should also embrace an AfCFTA mindset by teaching students practical skills in packaging, standards, and export documentation so they can sell their products regionally.
Finally, we must measure the right outcomes. We should track how many students get apprenticeships, the number of businesses they start after graduation, and the competency badges they earn. Schools should be rewarded for graduating students who are ready to earn and build.
Conclusion
Teaching children how to build doesn’t just change a classroom. It changes the culture of an entire country. When schools start building things and collaborating with local firms, learning stops being a mere entry exam and becomes a clear path to productive work.
This vision doesn’t remove the need for universities, research labs, or finance. Instead, it ensures an entire generation leaves school equipped to create value, not just consume it.
If Nigeria wants to be known for what it produces, we must start where every strong economy begins: in the hands and minds of children who learn to make, fix, and sell. The rest is simply a matter of engineering, policy, and patient execution.
