President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has challenged Nigerian universities to move beyond conventional classroom teaching and research by developing practical, evidence-based solutions to the country’s pressing challenges, particularly food insecurity, insecurity, climate change and technological backwardness.
The President made the call in a message delivered at the 56th Convocation Ceremony of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he urged the nation’s academic institutions to play a more active role in addressing challenges affecting the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians.
Tinubu stressed the need for universities to strengthen research and innovation that can translate into tangible solutions, particularly in the agricultural sector, as part of efforts to improve food production and achieve greater food security.
According to the President, Nigerian universities possess the intellectual capacity and human resources required to help the country overcome its developmental challenges. He therefore called on academics to focus more on research that responds directly to national needs and produces measurable impact.
He emphasised that universities should contribute to the development of innovative approaches capable of increasing agricultural productivity, improving food systems and supporting sustainable development.
The President also identified insecurity, climate change and the country’s technological gap among the critical areas requiring stronger collaboration between government, universities and other stakeholders.
Tinubu’s call comes amid the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s food security through increased agricultural production, research, technology and investment in the agricultural value chain.
He urged the academic community to embrace a more solution-oriented approach, saying the nation’s universities must become important drivers of national development rather than institutions focused solely on teaching and theoretical research.
The President further encouraged universities to deepen partnerships with government and industry, commercialise relevant research findings and ensure that innovations developed within academic institutions are translated into practical applications that can improve the economy and the well-being of citizens.
He noted that addressing Nigeria’s challenges would require collective action, with universities playing a central role in generating knowledge, nurturing innovation and providing evidence-based policy recommendations.
The President’s charge reinforces the growing emphasis on using research, science and technology to transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector and strengthen national food security.
Tinubu said the Federal Government remains committed to creating an environment where knowledge and innovation can contribute meaningfully to solving the country’s most urgent challenges.
He called on Nigerian universities to rise to the occasion by producing research and innovations that can help Nigeria achieve sustainable food production, improve security, address climate-related challenges and close the technological gap.