Breaking the cycle of consumption: Empowering Nigeria’s creative potential

Nigeria is plagued by a silent epidemic – a mindset that prioritises consumption over creation, imports over innovation, and theory over practice. This affliction is rooted in our outdated education system, which was never designed to empower us, but rather to limit us.

For decades, we’ve followed a learning model that emphasizes memorization over application, theory over practice. We churn out graduates who can recite formulas but can’t build, who know history but can’t innovate.

We’re a nation of consumers, dependent on foreign knowledge, products, and solutions. Our economy is characterized by: Soaring youth unemployment (over 53 per cent); Massive import dependency (over $10 billion annually); Brain drain (thousands of talented Nigerians fleeing abroad); Stunted industrial growth (less than 0.2 per cent contribution to global manufacturing output); and Technological stagnation (lagging behind in STEM education and innovation).

The Root Cause:

An Education System Designed to Hold Us Back. Our education system is a relic of colonialism, designed to produce workers, not leaders; clerks, not innovators. We’ve perpetuated this system, prioritizing certificates over skills, theory over practice. It’s time to break free from this shackles.

A New Vision: Empowering Nigeria’s Creative Potential

To transform Nigeria into a nation that creates, innovates, and leads, we must revolutionize our education system. We need to: 1). Prioritize Technical and Vocational Education: Make hands-on learning the foundation of our education system, starting from primary school.

Shift from Certificates to Skills: Focus on developing practical skills, not just theoretical knowledge.

Merge Industry with Education: Collaborate with businesses, factories, and tech hubs to provide real-world training and apprenticeships.

Encourage Entrepreneurship: Teach financial literacy, business development, and startup incubation from an early age.

Invest in Innovation: Allocate resources to research and development, STEM education, and industrial development. Cultural Shift: Celebrate creation over consumption, innovation over memorization.

Conclusion:

Our Time is now. Nigeria’s future lies not in oil, foreign loans, or politics, but in the minds and hands of our people. We have the potential to become a nation that builds, designs, and leads the world in innovation. Let’s break free from the shackles of consumption and unleash our creative potential.

The choice is ours. Will we continue to consume or will we create?

Temitayo Adejumo, a real estate entrepreneur, writes from Lagos.