By Atlantic Reports

Ghanaian President John Mahama has urged graduates of the University of Offa to turn their education into solutions, businesses and employment opportunities that contribute to Africa’s development.

In an address delivered on Monday at the university’s maiden convocation in Offa, Kwara State, Mahama said academic qualifications should provide a foundation for continuous learning rather than mark its conclusion.

He was represented by Ghana’s High Commissioner-designate to Nigeria, Baba Sadiq-Abu.

Mahama said securing employment remained a legitimate ambition, but graduates also needed entrepreneurial skills and the ability to adapt to a changing economy.

He identified artificial intelligence, digital technologies and climate change as forces reshaping opportunities, urging young people to acquire relevant skills and remain open to learning.

The president also placed responsibility on governments to create conditions in which enterprises could survive, including quality education, reliable infrastructure, access to finance and stable institutions.

Young innovators, he said, needed affordable funding, efficient payment systems and access to markets to turn ideas into viable businesses.

Enterprise With Integrity

Mahama urged graduates to build enterprises on ethical principles, honour agreements, treat workers with dignity, protect customers and respect the environment.

He encouraged them to explore markets beyond their immediate communities, pointing to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a platform for expanding business across borders.

“A stronger cooperation among African countries, universities and businesses will promote economic integration and accelerate development,” he said.

Mahama, who also serves as the African Union Champion on AU Financial Institutions, called for stronger continental financial institutions to support development.

He urged the University of Offa to place entrepreneurship, research, innovation and digital skills at the centre of its programmes.

“Universities should move beyond producing graduates who can just pass examinations to those who are equiped with practical skills to solve societal problems,” he said.

He also advocated partnerships with industries and other African universities to strengthen research, mentorship and enterprise development.

Mahama cited Ghana’s Students Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development Programme, under the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, as an initiative intended to support young entrepreneurs through training, mentorship and funding opportunities.

He encouraged graduates to treat setbacks as opportunities to learn and adjust rather than reasons to abandon their ambitions.

Personal Ties With Offa

Mahama recalled living in Offa as a young man with his stepmother, Madam Lucy Balogun, a daughter of the community.

He said the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, conferred on him the title of Aare Atolase of Offa Kingdom during a visit in 2015.

The president congratulated the traditional ruler on his investiture as the university’s first Chancellor and acknowledged the contributions of the institution’s founder, governing council, management and staff.

He described the Class of 2026 as pioneers whose work would help shape the university’s future, while thanking parents, guardians and lecturers for supporting their education.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to educational development and public-private partnerships.

He urged the graduates to continue learning, pursue self-reliance and represent their university responsibly. No specific partnership project or funding commitment was outlined in the supplied account.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.