General News
The Nexus between Academic Research and Development: The Importance of Doctoral Degree in National Development in Nigeria
By Onobe Melchizedec , PhD & Elele Felix Chibuzo
In today’s knowledge-based economy, where knowledge, research, and innovation are essential for competitiveness and wealth generation, developing countries require knowledge workers with doctoral degrees to generate understanding for advancing society and the economy.
People with the skills, knowledge, and expertise necessary to propel innovation and build a dynamic workforce are essential to the prosperity of any nation. Therefore, graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree are an invaluable resource for contributing to the growth and development of a country. The objective of enhancing the contributions that PhD graduates make to national development is also a global concern.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest mark of academic excellence, and holders are revered in society as embodiments of knowledge. It confers to the holder the highest level of competence in a field of study.
Acquiring a PhD degree in any field of study sets one apart and makes the person a specialist and, by extension, someone that could be consulted on that field. This scholarly endeavour is celebrated on completion by wearing a graduation regalia adorned with features that signify excellence and honour.
As a PhD candidate, one is expected to conduct supervised, structured research in one of the many related disciplines in which the Faculty has expertise. After this period, the candidate is expected to produce a lengthy thesis demonstrating their ability to conduct scholarly research. The results of this research should make “an original contribution to the body of knowledge” and meet publication standards.
History shows that the first doctoral degree was awarded in medieval Paris around 1150. In 1860, the University of London introduced the DSc as an advanced study course rather than a research degree. Therefore, the first higher doctorate in the modern sense in the UK was by Durham University in 1882, and other universities followed suit.
Yale University was the first University in the United States to award a PhD in 1861, and the first three earned PhDs in North America. In Nigeria, the University of Ibadan was the first Nigerian University to award a PhD in 1964. Accordingly, many Nigerian Universities now offer doctorates in many diverse fields of study.
Data from the second quarter of 2020 report of the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that Nigeria has over 76,526 PhD holders and more than 20,000 doctoral candidates. Prof Tunji Olaopa, in an article published in the Punch newspaper on 8 May 2022, stated that with the absence of current and valuable data, the number of Nigerian PhD holders as of 2022 could conservatively be estimated to be around 85,000.
Pursuing a PhD degree is not only arduous but also time-consuming and demanding; the candidate must dedicate at least three years of academic study and research work.
The candidate must have passed preliminary qualifying exams to exhibit their theoretical knowledge and competencies in the chosen field of study. The person will also complete a complex process of developing a research proposal, creating a research plan, carrying out research in the area and presenting the results of that research to other experts in the field who would evaluate the work and approve that it meets the highest standards of the academic world.
A doctorate aims to produce professionals with the expertise to conduct research and scholarship to advance knowledge and contribute to international, national, state, and local scholarship and development. PhD recipients are equipped with critical thinking skills, scientific research and theorising abilities, high intellectual integrity, a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving and professional competence through lifelong learning, self-evaluation, and self-renewal.
Beyond academic endeavours, the thrust of doctorate research, which is an ingenious contribution to the body of knowledge, should benefit society and contribute to the development of science, engineering, social science and humanities. It should not only be an academic exercise aimed at churning out lecturers for our higher institutions but development-oriented. Research conducted by these PhD studies should form the fulcrum of innovation and the socioeconomic development of society.
Higher academic pursuit up to a PhD degree provides a skilled workforce for specialised knowledge. Doctoral studies typically include training in methodology and research analysis, and obtaining a PhD indicates to potential employers that holders have the analytical skills necessary to conduct rigorous research. Accordingly, employers outside of academia seek individuals with solid research skills to carry out projects at private and public think tanks and research institutes worldwide.
On the micro level, it confers financial and non-financial benefits to the holder. Financial gain is one of the many reasons students pursue a doctorate. Moreover, research indicates that self-satisfaction, self-motivation, and intrinsic motivation are other factors for pursuing and completing a doctoral degree. Acquiring a PhD is essential for employment, career opportunities and progression in the academic ladder.
Historically, a PhD was required to commence a career in academia, and this has not changed, as they are still generally required for academic positions at universities worldwide. A doctorate creates international job teaching/lecturing opportunities and collaborations for holders. Globally, there is continued viability for PhDs in academia.
Socially, the PhD is a symbol of prestige and adds to the social status of the holder, having demonstrated exceptional ability and being regarded as a member of the intellectual elite. In the early sixties and until the late seventies in Nigeria, communities contributed money to sponsor one of their sons or daughters to study for a PhD. It was seen as a communal achievement and status symbol that a community had produced a doctor, as it were.
In research and development, the University is the centre of study and pivotal to new inventions and discoveries in the World. PhD scholars drive most of the research hubs and centres of excellence.
The Government and private sector spend huge budgets on research and development, and PhD students receive grants to research innovations that are valuable to human development. Moreover, doctoral programs provide intensive training in research methods, and the skills acquired in qualitative and quantitative research methodology and statistical analysis are transferable to non-academic research environments, especially industrial research.
In career development, a doctorate increases one’s earning potential compared to other educational levels in universities and research institutes. Those with a doctorate can also anticipate higher compensation inside and outside academia. Doctorate holders in Nigerian universities and higher institutions can only occupy certain positions and posts.
To underscore the importance of the PhD to academic development and knowledge transfer, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other regulatory professional bodies require a minimum number of doctorate holders as faculty before accreditation for a course is given.
In the body of knowledge, a PhD thesis may also serve as the foundation for a book that, when published, will become part of the scholar’s professional career and scholarly documentation. A doctoral dissertation contributes to the body of human knowledge.
In addition, the results, conclusions, and recommendations invariably contribute to economic and social advancement. In addition, the thought content paves the way for new research avenues and promotes an interdisciplinary approach, which will strengthen the social fabric of lifestyles.
Interestingly, in Nigeria, little is known about the employment of PhD recipients outside the academia after receiving their degrees. There appears to be a void regarding the direct impacts of PhD graduates in the workplace outside the academic environment. Moreover, the research capacity of many employed PhDs has not been maximised.
There are disparities between the purpose of doctoral education and the employment of Nigerian PhD graduates, as some are employed in positions unrelated to their fields of study. People now doubt the knowledge and abilities of this group of highly educated Nigerian graduates, and there is a need for a paradigm shift.
It has become pertinent to re-evaluate the curriculum and content of doctoral studies in Nigeria. Nigeria’s doctoral education should be tailored to play a crucial role in nurturing economic growth. It should be viewed as an investment in human capital, the cost of which is anticipated to yield returns and generate significant benefits in the form of increased opportunities, productivity, employment conditions, and incomes.
Amid our underdevelopment in critical sectors, doctoral education should be a pathway for nurturing independent researchers who can produce and disseminate new knowledge, solve real problems, and contribute to innovation through ground-breaking research, publishing, and forging a competitive edge that fuels national development.
Nigerians expect our doctoral graduates to make significant contributions to the creation of new knowledge, the development of life-saving medical interventions, undergraduate education, and the shaping of social programmes and policies. Our PhD should adapt to the demands of the 21st century for a degree that fosters the development of personal and professional skills to support all critical sectors and promote human development indices.
As society continues to evolve and the universe faces new challenges, the need for acquiring more specialised knowledge will continue to increase hence the need for more doctorate holders.
The training of future graduates, national development and knowledge transfer depends on the quality and quantity of PhD graduates. Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million people and 170 Universities in 2023 (79 private, 43 federal, and 48 state universities) and numerous applications for licencing of new universities, the requirement and demand for more doctorate holders will keep soaring.
However, there is the need to ensure that the curriculum adds value and that the quality of graduates meets international best practices and those conferred with the degree reason philosophically.
Both wrote from Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State
Federal High Court in Lagos has declined Access Bank Plc’s request to freeze the bank accounts of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc over a disputed N180.95 billion debt claim linked to a long-expired infrastructure-sharing deal with now-defunct Multi-Links Telecommunications.
Justice Akintayo Aluko, ruling on an ex parte application filed by Access Bank and three companies in receivership, Multi-Links Telecommunications Limited, Capcom Telecoms Limited, and Cyancom Limited, refused to issue an interim order freezing MTN’s funds.
The judge held that MTN must first be given an opportunity to be heard before any such drastic action is taken.
Access Bank, through its counsel Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), had requested an interim injunction restraining MTN from withdrawing or tampering with funds across all its accounts in Nigeria up to the amount of N180.95 billion.
The bank claimed this figure represents a long-standing debt owed by MTN to Multi-Links.
As part of the orders sought, the applicants also requested that all financial institutions in Nigeria be directed to disclose, under oath, the balances in MTN’s accounts within seven days.
The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1004/2025, essentially sought to lock down MTN’s funds pending the determination of the main suit.
However, Justice Aluko ruled that, while the plaintiffs presented a seemingly compelling case, MTN must be allowed to respond.
“Due to the peculiar nature of the case and the potential implications of the orders sought, especially in light of MTN’s correspondence marked ‘MTN 17,’ the defendant must be heard before any orders are granted,” the judge said, according to ThisDay Newspaper.
The court ordered MTN to appear and show cause within five days, with the case adjourned to June 23, 2025, for further proceedings.
According to Nairametric, at the heart of the dispute is a fibre-sharing agreement between MTN and Multi-Links dating back over a decade, sources say.
The deal gave both parties “irrefutable rights of use” of each other’s fibre infrastructure for 10 years, expiring in 2024.
However, due to financial and operational setbacks, Multi-Links reportedly underutilised MTN’s infrastructure while MTN made significant use of Multi-Links’ network.
As Multi-Links spiralled into financial distress, the company went into receivership under the control of Diamond Bank. Before it folded, Multi-Links attempted to sell its fibre assets to MTN, but negotiations collapsed over pricing disagreements.
Years later, a company named Hoop Telecoms emerged, claiming to have acquired Multi-Links’ fibre infrastructure. However, Hoop reportedly disclaimed any responsibility for Multi-Links’ past liabilities. Despite this, the company billed MTN nearly N170 billion, retroactively charging for years prior to its supposed acquisition of the assets.
MTN flatly rejected the demand, estimating its actual obligation under the original agreement at just over N1 billion.
The telecoms firm also took the matter to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which reportedly found that Hoop Telecoms lacked a valid telecom licence and thus had no legal standing to make such claims.
The situation grew more complex after Access Bank acquired Diamond Bank in 2019, thereby assuming control of Multi-Links’ receivership. According to sources familiar with the case, Access Bank aligned itself with Hoop Telecoms’ claims and pushed for a legal settlement, which MTN resisted.
One insider told Nairametrics that several vested interests, including political actors, saw the claim as an opportunity to pressure MTN into a payout.
“There was talk that pushing MTN to pay could benefit everyone involved,” the source said. “But MTN stood its ground and sought legal protection.”
Caught in this web of legal and commercial ambiguity, MTN sought a court’s protection.
But to the company’s surprise, Access Bank approached a court seeking a Mareva injunction, a legal order to freeze MTN’s accounts across Nigerian banks to the tune of N180.95 billion. Such orders are typically issued when a plaintiff fears the defendant may dissipate assets to frustrate judgment enforcement.
Insiders suggest that Access Bank may not have been fully briefed on the intricate history and legal background of the Multi-Links-MTN arrangement and might now be reconsidering its position.
According to one source, MTN and Access Bank have since opened lines of communication to explore an amicable resolution of the matter.
The judge’s refusal to grant the Mareva injunction offers MTN some short-term relief, but the legal battle is far from over.
The company now has until June 23 to respond formally and argue why the court should not freeze its accounts.
MTN declined to comment when contacted, stating that the case is subjudice. Access Bank has yet to respond to Nairametrics’ enquiry as of press time.
While the final outcome remains to be seen, the case raises deeper questions about the enforcement of legacy telecom agreements, the legal risks around receivership claims, and the influence of non-commercial interests in high-stakes disputes.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a financing package of up to $184.1 million to support the development of the Obelisk 1-gigawatt solar photovoltaic project and 200MWh battery energy storage system in Egypt, which will be Africa’s largest solar power plant.
Located in Qena Governorate in southern Egypt, the project entails the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of a photovoltaic power plant with an integrated battery energy storage system. The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company will be the sole off-taker under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement.
The project’s total cost is estimated at more than $590 million. The Bank Group’s financing package includes $125.5 million of ordinary resources, as well as concessional funding from Bank Group-managed Special Funds the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) worth $20 million, and the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund ($18.6 million), a partnership of the Bank Group and the Government of Canada.
A further $20 million will come from the Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund, with additional financing to be mobilized from a consortium of development finance institutions.
Under Egypt’s Nexus of Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) platform, Obelisk has been granted a Golden License by the government, which recognizes it as a strategic initiative that will contribute to addressing Egypt’s energy constraints and advancing its energy transition.
Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, said “the Obelisk solar project is another important milestone for Egypt under the energy pillar of the NWFE program which has since its launch in November 2022 at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh delivered 4.2 GW of privately financed renewable energy investments, worth about $4 billion, with the support of partners such as the Africa Development Bank.
“The goal of NWFE’s energy pillar is to add 10 GW of renewable energy capacity with investments of approximately $10 billion, and phase out 5 GW of fossil fuel power generation by 2030.”
The project, expected to be fully operational by the third quarter of 2026, will generate an estimated 2,772 gigawatt-hours of clean, reliable, and affordable energy annually to the national grid. The battery energy storage system will help meet peak evening demand with renewable power while also mitigating the variability of solar power generation.
The project is expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately one million tons and create about 4,000 jobs during construction and 50 permanent jobs during operation, with a special focus on women and youth employment.
“Obelisk is another landmark development under NWFE that leverages on Egypt’s and the African Development Bank’s leadership as well as commitment to harnessing the country’s renewable energy to enhance the resilience of the country’s energy supply to meet its fast-growing energy demand sustainably,” said Kevin Kariuki, African Development Bank Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth.
“This project also contributes to Egypt’s ambition of producing 42 percent of its power generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2030 while spurring economic growth and reducing greenhouse gas emissions,”
Ambassador of Canada to the Arab Republic of Egypt Ulric Shannon said: “Canada is proud to support solar energy development in Egypt. This initiative is a meaningful step toward enhancing energy security and stability, with direct benefits for the Egyptian people.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the African Development Bank and other partners in supporting Egypt’s transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.”
The Obelisk Solar Project aligns with the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy, its New Deal on Energy for Africa, and its Country Strategy Paper for Egypt as well as SEFA’s strategic framework which aims to accelerate African countries energy transition by increasing the share of renewables and catalyzing commercial capital mobilization in the power sector. The project also advances Egypt’s commitment to achieve 42 percent generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
“This project exploits the abundant renewable energy potential in Africa and demonstrates how strong partnerships and innovative solutions contribute to balancing three core objectives in the energy sector, namely energy security, affordability, and sustainable economic development,” said Wale Shonibare, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulation at the African Development Bank. “It has high potential for replicability across the continent.”
Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) and the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) have pledged to deepen collaboration in key national development areas, including geospatial data infrastructure, satellite technology, communication sector regulation, and population census operations.
This was the outcome of a high-level meeting held on Tuesday at the headquarters of OSGOF in Abuja, where Abudulganiyu Adeyemi Adebomehin, surveyor General of the Federation, received Dr. Matthew Adepoju, director general of NASRDA, and his management team.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by Henry David, head, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, titled ‘SGOF Pledges To Support NASRDA For Optimal Performance.’
According to the statement, the discussions at the meeting focused on the impact of upstream and downstream operations in Nigeria’s communication sector, challenges of mast proliferation near residential areas, and the broader implications for public health. Both agencies expressed concern over the unregulated installation of communication infrastructure and its potential link to rising cancer rates.
“The downstream sector of communication companies involves placing signal-receiving stations within living communities, which poses significant health risks due to radiation,” the two agencies said in a joint position. “Co-location of infrastructure, as practised in developed countries like the UK and US, should be adopted here to reduce radiation exposure.”
The two agencies called for stronger regulation of telecommunication operators, noting that television and radio signal disruptions—commonplace in Nigeria—are largely due to a lack of oversight, a situation that does not persist in countries with stringent telecom regulations.
Addressing issues of national data management, the agencies stressed the critical need for collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) in the upcoming national census. “Without the input of NASRDA and OSGOF, the census will remain speculative,” they jointly noted.
On geospatial data, both parties resolved to work together to strengthen the National Geospatial Data Infrastructure, which they described as vital for national planning and development.
In his remarks, Surveyor General Adebomehin expressed firm support for NASRDA’s initiatives. “I will defend NASRDA to the best of my ability. If you need software engineers, we have capable hands here,” he said. “Keep encouraging your staff. Behind every successful organisation in the world, you will find Nigerians. We are in full support of your mission.”
Adebomehin urged NASRDA to engage the Presidency directly in acquiring high-precision satellite systems. “You need a satellite that can deliver accuracy of less than 10 centimetres,” he said. “This will reduce the government’s losses from MDAs sourcing satellite services externally.”
Duniya Magaji Joseph, director of Geodesy at OSGOF, called for improved inter-agency collaboration, especially with the military. “Anytime the military collaborates with OSGOF, the outcome is always better,” he said. “We need to overcome the tendency to work in silos driven by funding concerns and instead focus on joint advantages.”
NASRDA’s DG, Dr. Matthew Adepoju, said his agency is working with the Ministry of Steel Development on mineral exploration projects, including the identification of new sites for raw materials such as steel and limestone. He stressed the importance of OSGOF’s technical input in these initiatives.
“We’ve agreed to support the Ministry of Steel Development in identifying new resource locations,” Adepoju said. “But I don’t want NASRDA to go it alone. We want OSGOF fully involved so that roles are clearly defined, and the synergy is more impactful.”
To mark the visit, NASRDA presented symbolic gifts, including a plaque and a vest, to the Surveyor General in appreciation of OSGOF’s commitment to partnership.
The meeting, held in Abuja, concluded with both agencies reaffirming their shared mandate to support national development through technology, data integration, and inter-agency cooperation.
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