Chief of Staff Dr Julius Debrah has urged African graduates to move beyond the traditional pursuit of salaried employment and use their knowledge, skills and creativity to establish enterprises, solve problems and create jobs.
He said a university certificate should serve as a foundation for contributing to economic development rather than mark the end of an individual’s learning and professional growth.
Dr Debrah made the call on Monday, October 12, 2026, when he represented President John Dramani Mahama at the maiden convocation of the University of Offa in Kwara State, Nigeria.
Addressing the graduating class of 2026, he said Africa needed graduates who could identify challenges, develop practical solutions and adapt to changing economic conditions.
“My first message to the graduating class is therefore simple: your certificate is a foundation; it is not a finish line,” he said.
Speaking on the theme, “From Certificate to Enterprise: Africa’s Graduates as Architects of the Continent’s Economic Future,” Dr Debrah said the conventional expectation that university graduates should obtain certificates and secure jobs needed to be complemented by a stronger entrepreneurial mindset.
“Previous generations of graduates were often told: study hard, obtain your certificate and find a good job. That remains a legitimate ambition. But the world you are graduating into demands something more,” he said.
He explained that enterprise was not limited to establishing private businesses but also involved initiative, innovation, problem-solving and resilience.
According to him, graduates could apply these principles across different fields, including private-sector employment, public service, academia and professional practice.
Dr Debrah also highlighted the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence, digital technologies, climate change and changing global trade patterns, urging African countries to play an active role in shaping these developments.
“Africa must not simply respond to these changes. We must participate in shaping them,” he said.
He stressed that the continent needed graduates capable of using emerging technologies and innovative ideas to address local challenges and support economic transformation.
The Chief of Staff acknowledged that governments had a responsibility to create an environment in which businesses and entrepreneurs could thrive.
He identified quality education, reliable infrastructure, access to finance, predictable regulation and decent employment opportunities as important conditions for economic growth.
However, he maintained that young people also had a responsibility to contribute their ideas, energy and creativity to national development.
His remarks come amid continuing concerns across Africa about graduate unemployment and calls for higher education to be more closely aligned with the continent’s economic and development needs.
Dr Debrah urged the University of Offa to make enterprise, research and innovation central to its identity as it grows beyond its first graduating class.
He said nurturing these values would help prepare graduates to contribute meaningfully to economic development and Africa’s future prosperity.
