By Lucy Ogalue
Abuja, Oct. 22, 2024 The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), is collaborating with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) to enhance graduate employability across Nigeria and West Africa through innovative educational strategies.
The Director-General of ACCI, Mr. Agabaidu Jideani, said this when Prof. Jane-Frances Agbu, Adviser for Higher Education, COL, Vancouver, Canada, led a team to visit him in Abuja.
The COL adviser, restated the organisation’s commitment to supporting governments and educational institutions in implementing Open and Distance Learning (ODL).
“COL has been actively involved in providing assistance at both the national and institutional levels to promote flexible learning solutions.
“In Nigeria, we work closely with the National Open University and its regional center, RETRIDOL, to strengthen the capacity of the country’s distance education framework,” she stated.
Agbu recalled the valuable insights gained from a recent workshop that addressed the emerging skills gap and employability challenges.
She emphasised the need to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills and expressed eagerness to expand on these findings to develop frameworks that enhanced job readiness for graduates across the region.
She said: “We are excited about our strong partnership with the Chamber, as it offers us a practical perspective and access to key stakeholders within Nigeria’s business community.
“The collaboration will continue with ACCI playing a critical role as COL and the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL) engage with national institutions such as the National Universities Commission (NUC).
” A three-day follow-up programme is already underway, focusing on developing actionable frameworks based on insights from previous discussions and workshops.
“As part of this initiative, COL plans to work with pilot institutions to adapt these frameworks, ensuring effective implementation of recommendations.
“ACCI will remain a key partner, with further engagement anticipated as the program progresses to its next phase,” Agbu said.
Also speaking, Mr Chris Ugwuala said that this ongoing collaboration between ACCI and COL began earlier this year, concentrating on addressing graduate employability in the region.
He said a key outcome of their initial engagement was a West African regional workshop that gathered government stakeholders, educators, and industry professionals to discuss policy issues and practical challenges surrounding employability.
Responding, the ACCI director-general expressed the Chamber’s enthusiasm for the partnership.
“The collaboration with COL aligns perfectly with ACCI’s commitment to fostering capacity-building initiatives that directly impact learning and economic growth.
” We will provide feedback to our members, who will leverage this collaboration as we look forward to continuing our support for this important initiative,”Agabaidu said.
