Graduates must become solution providers, not job seekers — EFCC chairman
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has urged Nigerian graduates to look beyond their certificates and become solution providers in a world driven by innovation, technology, and integrity.
Delivering the 2025 Convocation Lecture of Redeemer’s University, Ede, titled “Beyond Degrees: Cultivating Purpose, Resilience and Service in a Complex World,” Olukoyede said graduates who will succeed are those offering practical solutions to societal problems regardless of their discipline.
He identified energy, mineral resources, agriculture, and entertainment as emerging frontiers of opportunity for the nation’s youth, urging them to harness their potential within these sectors.
Citing the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, Olukoyede noted that young Nigerians who explore solar and lithium-powered technologies could redefine the nation’s economic future.
He explained that Nigeria’s vast lithium deposits are being actively explored, particularly by Chinese firms, as lithium is a major component in the production of batteries for inverters, electronic devices, and electric vehicles. Other abundant minerals include gold, limestone, iron ore, coal, and gemstones.
“The focus of the Nigerian government is not the exploitation of these raw minerals for export, but rather how to transform them into high-value products through value addition. This literally means that Nigeria’s doors are open to innovators who are willing to set up companies for the extraction and processing of various minerals into useful products for export,” he said.
Olukoyede, however, reminded the graduates that talent, academic excellence, and passion are not enough without character, integrity, and discipline.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Prof. Shadrach Akindele, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to producing graduates who are both intellectually sound and spiritually grounded.
