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