Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that the poor global ranking of African universities poses a serious threat to the continent’s technological advancement, industrialisation, and long-term economic growth.
Jonathan made the remarks on Monday in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled “Harnessing Industrial Capacity for Inclusive Growth and Regional Stability in Africa” to participants of Course 34 of the National Defence College.
He expressed deep concern that no African university ranks among the world’s top 100 institutions, with only the University of Cape Town featuring in the top 200. He described the situation as “terribly bad.”
“We must review and recalibrate our businesses from the primary schools to the universities. We don’t have any specialised universities in Africa. It’s terribly bad,” Jonathan stated.
The former President emphasised that Africa cannot achieve meaningful technological progress or industrialisation without a strengthened education system and specialised institutions capable of producing highly skilled manpower. He identified the human brain as one of the continent’s most valuable resources and urged African leaders to prioritise investment in education and human capital development.
Drawing lessons from other nations, Jonathan cited Singapore’s economic transformation, which was driven by deliberate investment in education and capacity building despite limited natural resources. He also highlighted India’s rise as a global information technology hub, noting that the country established specialised institutions after independence to train its best brains for future leadership in key sectors.
“India, at independence from the British, set up institutions that prepared India for the future. They set up specialised institutions, not for everybody. They are training their best brains to control and dominate the world,” he said.
Jonathan cautioned that Africa risks missing out on the ongoing technological, industrial, and agricultural revolutions if it fails to develop its human capital urgently. “If we miss out on the industrial revolution, agri-revolution, all the revolutions, IT is now ruling the world. We cannot continue to lag. We must focus on young people,” he warned.
He further noted that Africa’s abundant natural resources, human capital, and large market will not automatically deliver prosperity unless countries develop the capacity to transform raw materials into high-value goods and services.
Jonathan called on African leaders to nurture innovation in science, technology, engineering, and information technology, particularly among the youth. He urged the National Defence College participants described as emerging strategic leaders to champion policies that strengthen education, technological capacity, and industrial development across the continent.
“We cannot achieve that overnight, but with a commitment by the leaders, a determination by the citizens, we can still change the story of Africa,” he said.
In his remarks, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), who served as special guest of honour, stressed that industrial capacity is a strategic imperative for Nigeria and Africa. He noted that security and prosperity are mutually reinforcing and that sustainable development cannot thrive amid insecurity.
Musa called for the transformation of Africa’s natural and human resources into value-added production, technological innovation, and shared prosperity, while highlighting the importance of continental cooperation through initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The lecture underscores the urgent need for sustained political commitment to overhaul Africa’s education systems and build the specialised institutions required to power inclusive growth and regional stability.