Finance graduates lack practical skills needed for capital markets, says EKSU Chancellor

A significant number of finance graduates seeking roles in the financial sector lack the critical and practical skills required to succeed in modern capital markets, the Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Dr Tunji Olowolafe, has said.

Olowolafe disclosed as the university prepares to graduate the pioneer cohort of its Professional Diploma Programme, the EKSU Financial Markets Training Programme (E-FMTP) in Securities Trading and Financial Markets.

He said the need to reform financial education across Africa had become urgent, as traditional university systems continue to place too much emphasis on theoretical knowledge and rote learning, leaving graduates ill-prepared for real-world financial roles.

According to him, universities must adopt more practical and industry-focused approaches to equip students with the competencies demanded by the modern financial sector.

What they are saying

Olowolafe said local and global financial markets increasingly require hands-on technical skills that conventional classroom teaching often fails to provide.

• “A large percentage of recent graduates seeking finance roles lack the critical, practical skills demanded by modern capital markets.”
• He said universities should cultivate what he described as a “professional instinct” among students rather than focusing solely on academic certification.
• He said universities should transform classrooms into centres of practical learning capable of producing graduates who can contribute meaningfully to economic development.
• “By providing students with access to a fully accredited diploma programme, live simulated dealing rooms, and global virtual work experiences, we are not just giving them a degree; we are instilling a professional instinct.”

Olowolafe said the E-FMTP was designed to pioneer a shift in African higher education from theoretical learning to real-time execution and provide students with the practical exposure required to participate in global financial markets.

More insight

President Bola Tinubu, while hosting the leadership of the Nigerian Exchange Group at the State House recently, also stressed the importance of introducing capital market education to undergraduates.

Tinubu said teaching the stock market in classrooms could help build a nation of succession and prosperity.

As part of efforts to bridge the gap between theory and practice, EKSU is set to graduate the first cohort of students from its Financial Markets Training Programme before the end of 2026.

The E-FMTP, approved by the university Senate in February 2026, is an eight-month Professional Diploma programme designed around live market simulations and practical financial training.

The programme is anchored by a dedicated Trading Room established on the university campus through funding from the Tunji Olowolafe Foundation (TOF) and technical support from the CFA Institute.

Curriculum combines theory with live market simulations

Professor Oke Michael Ojo of EKSU’s Department of Finance said the programme combines traditional finance concepts with practical trading simulations to give students exposure to real-time market scenarios.

The curriculum covers investment analysis, portfolio management, trading strategies and risk management, while students also receive practical exposure to financial market operations.

The initiative also provides access to CFA Institute scholarships, project grants and internship opportunities aimed at improving students’ employability and professional development.

The programme is part of broader efforts to deepen financial literacy and market participation among young Nigerians.

What you should know

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said in 2022 that it would work towards introducing capital market studies into the secondary school curriculum as part of efforts to advance financial inclusion and digitalise the economy.

• The then SEC Director-General, Lamido Yuguda, said financial inclusion requires individuals and businesses to have access to affordable financial products and services.
• He said such products and services must meet the needs of individuals and businesses.
• Yuguda said they must also be delivered sustainably.
• He was represented at the time by Sa’adatu Faruk, Head of the Financial Inclusion Division, Market Development Department, SEC.

The development highlights growing efforts to give students practical exposure to financial markets alongside conventional academic training.