Chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, has called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s education system to equip young people with digital skills for the future. He made the appeal on Thursday at the 11th public lecture of the Sigma Club, University of Ibadan.
Speaking on the topic, “Leveraging Technology and Digital Education for Mass Employment, Wealth Creation and Poverty Alleviation,” Mr Toriola said technology and education hold the key to lifting millions out of poverty. He explained that digital tools could open up opportunities for entrepreneurship, remote work, and access to services—especially in underserved communities.
He also highlighted some major challenges holding the country back. These include poor infrastructure, high deployment costs, unreliable electricity, insecurity, weak public-private coordination, and outdated policies. He stressed the need to close digital literacy gaps, address gender and regional inequality, and reform school curricula.
“Our youths are ready. Our systems must be ready too,” Toriola said while referencing a recent article about a Nigerian doctor who earned qualifications in multiple medical specialisations.
Toriola urged stakeholders to expand digital infrastructure and update Nigeria’s school system so students learn skills relevant to today’s job market. He also recommended stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors. “We must make education employable,” he said. “We have to create the opportunities for students to practice what they are learning with institutions that are using those skills of the future.”
He added that beyond robotics and automation, there is room for innovation in sectors like content creation, manufacturing, and agriculture. “Huge opportunities exist in Nigeria,” he said. “We need to provide the environment for Nigerian youth to thrive by driving connectivity and changing the curricula.”
Toriola ended on a hopeful note: “It does not matter however you start. Where you get to at the end of the day is a product of how dedicated, focused and hardworking you are. Never give up.”
Earlier, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, represented by his deputy chief of staff, Folajimi Oyekunle, said the event’s theme was timely. He cited ongoing state initiatives like the Waste to Wealth programme and the hiring of 21,000 teachers as part of efforts to tackle unemployment. He also noted that Oyo’s internally generated revenue rose to 8.5 billion naira in the first quarter of 2025, up from a pre-2019 average of 1.6 billion.
Other guests at the lecture included the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade; retired veterinary medicine lecturer Dr. Gani Adeniran, who served as Father of the Day; and Lead City University chancellor, Professor Gabriel Ogunmola.
