Rebranding Entrepreneurship Education in Nigerian Polytechnics: A Systematic Approach for Solving Youth Unemployment
Anochie Ngozi Chiamaka; Egbelagu Christian Nelson; Nwokwu Ikpechukwu Jonathan
Abstract
Employers are increasingly valuing entrepreneurial skills, an innovative mindset, risk tolerance, and self-direction, alongside technical expertise, in the rapidly changing 21st- century economy. Nigerian tertiary institutions have introduced Technical and Vocational Education to equip graduate and undergraduate students with the entrepreneurial skills needed to create jobs and reduce unemployment. Despite efforts to incorporate entrepreneurship education (EE) into polytechnic curricula, its implementation remains mostly theoretical and disconnected from actual market demands, as many graduates’ face underemployment or unemployment after graduation. The problem arises from the traditional focus of entrepreneurship education on technical knowledge alone, with insufficient emphasis on skill development and nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset—both critical for turning skills into viable micro-enterprises or start-ups. This often leaves graduates unprepared to adapt, innovate, and generate employment opportunities independently. This paper highlights the need to rebrand the entrepreneurship education curriculum in Nigerian polytechnics from a knowledge-based approach to a skill-oriented one as a strategy to combat youth unemployment in Nigeria and similar contexts. Using the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas Bonny, Rivers state, as a case study, the research analyzes empirical evidence to assess the impact of a skill- focused entrepreneurship education on reducing youth unemployment. The findings suggest that entrepreneurship courses in Nigerian polytechnics lack the practical skills necessary for job creation. Based on these empirical results, the paper recommends that polytechnics realign their entrepreneurship curricula with market needs, skills, and entrepreneurial competencies. The proposed framework aims not only to improve employment rates but also to promote self- employment, innovation, and economic resilience among Nige
Keywords
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