President Bola Tinubu has asserted that the era of relying solely on formal academic certificates for professional success is over, declaring that practical skills acquisition, innovation, and technological expertise will be the primary drivers of Nigeria’s future economic growth.

The President made these remarks on Saturday at the combined convocation and 70th anniversary celebration of the Kaduna Polytechnic, held at the institution’s main campus in Kaduna. The milestone event marked the graduation of 60,803 students spanning the 2015/2016 to 2024/2025 academic sessions.

Represented at the occasion by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, President Tinubu emphasized the critical need for a paradigm shift toward Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). He stated that equipping the nation’s massive youth population with self-reliant, market-relevant skills is central to his administration’s economic revival plan under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

To foster self-reliance, enterprise, and innovation, the President highlighted ongoing federal initiatives specifically designed to bridge the gap between education and employment. He pointed to capital-backed programs like the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Students’ Venture Initiative as key institutional pillars supporting young Nigerians.

Furthermore, he charged the leadership of Kaduna Polytechnic to aggressively harness emerging digital opportunities to elevate learning standards and secure global competitiveness.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Uba Sani, reaffirmed his administration’s alignment with the federal government’s educational objectives. Highlighting subnational support for the institution, Governor Sani announced a direct ₦50 million donation toward the successful hosting of the convocation.

He also commissioned a newly constructed lecture theatre complex and pledged the rapid development of modern internal access roads across the polytechnic’s campuses to improve learning infrastructure.