Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has attributed the inability of most Nigerian graduates to get gainful jobs to lack of skills.

At the 2012 Entrepreneurship Directors' Conference organised by Centre for Entrepreneurship of the Kwara State University (KWASU) in Malete, Moro Local Council yesterday, he said that the bulk of graduates from educational institutions in the country had remained unemployed because of lack of skills and the entrepreneurial mindset needed for transforming themselves into successful businessmen and women.

He therefore promised to support the vision of the management of KWASU to give the students industry-based skills.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Education Commissioner, Saka Onimago, lauded the initiative of the institution in organising the event.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na'Allah canvassed an immediate overhaul of the curricula of Nigerian universities to make products fit for self-employment.

He said the curricula in most of the universities were not only obsolete but could not assist the government at all levels in solving the problem of graduates' unemployment.

Na'Allah added that KWASU was established to bridge this gap, adding that the graduates of the institution would not be among those queuing for jobs but be among Nigerians generating employment opportunities for others.

According to him,  "universities in Nigeria have failed the system, which is why there is so much graduates unemployment.  Kwara State University is however poised to rid the state of poverty and produce graduates who will be global citizens ready to develop Kwara State, Nigeria and the world."

The centre's Director, Dr. Muritala Awodun, said the conference was a forum for directors of entrepreneurship in higher Institutions in Nigeria to promote entrepreneurship studies in Nigerian institutions of higher learning.

He expressed the hope that the forum would turn into an avenue for the development of entrepreneurship curriculum for universities in Nigeria.

In his keynote address, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, who was represented by Prof. A.l Essien, noted that the theme of the conference, "Entrepreneurship Realities and Curriculum Redesign for Sustainable Resource Transformation'' was apt as it came at a time the rapid establishment of entrepreneurship study centres was gaining momentum in the country.