You have seen them. The graduate with a First Class degree selling phone accessories at Computer Village. The Law graduate driving a taxi. The Mass Communication graduate doing makeup for weddings because no media house would hire. The Biochemistry graduate who has written 200 job applications and received zero callbacks.

Their parents wore agbada and gele to their graduation. They took pictures. They sprayed money. They said “my child is a graduate.” And then silence. The child moved back home. The parents started dropping hints about “looking for work.” One year passed. Two years. Three.

Rhetorical question: Is it not painful to spend four, five, or six years in university only to discover that nobody is willing to pay you for what you studied?

As a senior journalist at Akahi News, I have interviewed hundreds of unemployed and underemployed Nigerian graduates. I have also interviewed those who got jobs within months of graduation. The difference often comes down to one decision made years earlier: choice of course.

Yet most parents and guardians avoid this conversation. Why? Because they want their children to “follow their passion.” Because they studied a certain course thirty years ago and it worked, so they assume it will still work. Because they secretly hope their child will become a doctor or lawyer regardless of market reality.

Let us have the hard conversation today. No sugarcoating. No political correctness. Just the truth that will save your child from becoming another statistic.

The Painful Reality: Not All Degrees Are Created Equal

Here is the truth Nigerian parents refuse to accept. The labour market does not care about your child’s feelings. It does not care that they love History. It does not care that they are passionate about Philosophy. The market pays for problems solved and value created.

Some courses prepare students for industries that are actively hiring. Other courses prepare students for industries that barely exist in Nigeria. And a third category prepares students for nothing at all except more schooling.

Rhetorical question: Have you ever asked yourself why companies are not rushing to hire graduates of certain courses despite the so-called “graduate unemployment crisis”?

Let me give you a direct answer. Companies hire skills, not certificates. If a course does not teach marketable skills, the certificate becomes wall decoration.

This is where the conversation becomes uncomfortable. But Akahi News believes in telling Nigerians the truth, not what they want to hear. So brace yourself.

Course Categories: High Demand, Medium Demand, Low Demand, and No Demand

Let me break down Nigerian university courses into four categories based on actual employment data gathered from job portals, corporate HR departments, and government agencies over the past five years.

HIGH DEMAND (Employers actively search for these graduates)

• Computer Science / Software Engineering
• Accounting (with professional certification like ICAN, ACCA)
• Nursing
• Medical Laboratory Science
• Pharmacy
• Electrical and Electronics Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Economics (with strong data analysis skills)
• Statistics
• Actuarial Science
• Radiography
• Physiotherapy

MEDIUM DEMAND (Jobs exist but competitive)

• Law (must have Law School certification and strong networking)
• Mass Communication (must have practical skills – photography, video editing, copywriting)
• Business Administration (must have internship experience)
• Marketing (must have digital marketing skills)
• Political Science (only with additional skills or government connections)
• International Relations (same as Political Science)
• Microbiology
• Industrial Chemistry
• Biochemistry (requires additional certification or Master’s degree)
• Geology
• Urban and Regional Planning
• Architecture (long training period but eventually pays well)

LOW DEMAND (Very few formal jobs; graduates often self-employed)

• History and International Studies
• Philosophy
• Sociology
• Anthropology
• Linguistics
• English Language (unless combined with education or publishing skills)
• Religious Studies
• Theatre Arts (except those who build personal brands as content creators)
• Fine and Applied Arts
• Fisheries
• Crop Science
• Animal Science (except those who go into agribusiness)

VERY LOW/UNCERTAIN DEMAND (Highly dependent on additional training)

• Botany
• Zoology
• Pure Chemistry
• Pure Physics
• Mathematics (unless converted to data science or teaching with PGDE)
• Geography
• Guidance and Counselling
• Adult Education

Rhetorical question: If your child is currently studying or planning to study a course in the low or uncertain demand category, what specific job will they get after graduation?

If you cannot answer that question with a specific job title and specific employer type, you have a problem. A big one.

The Hard Questions Every Parent Must Ask Before Their Child Enters University

Let me give you the questions you are avoiding. Ask them now before it is too late.

Question 1: Does this course have a direct career path in Nigeria’s current economy? Not “maybe.” Not “in the future.” Now.

Question 2: Will this course still be relevant in 10 years or will AI and automation kill it? (Yes, AI is already replacing some entry-level legal and accounting work. Plan accordingly.)

Question 3: Does my child have the temperament for the real job in that field? A shy child who hates blood should not study Nursing even if it pays well.

Question 4: If formal employment fails, can this course lead to self-employment? Can my child start a business with these skills?

Question 5: What additional certifications, internships, or skills will my child need to be competitive?

Rhetorical question: How many parents have asked these questions before paying JAMB registration and university fees?

Very few. And that is why unemployment after graduation is so common.

At Akahi Tutors, Ile-Ife, career counselling is part of what students receive. Before preparing for JAMB, post-UTME, WAEC, or NECO, students are guided on which courses align with their O’level strengths AND market demand. That is the difference between studying blindly and studying strategically. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

The Cult of Passion: Why “Follow Your Passion” Is Dangerous Advice

Let me say something controversial. “Follow your passion” has destroyed more Nigerian careers than bad grades ever have.

Why? Because passion does not pay rent. Passion does not feed your children. Passion does not clear your parents’ hospital bills. Skills that the market values do those things.

Rhetorical question: Have you met a passionate Philosophy graduate who is now hungry but fulfilled? Have you met a passionate History graduate whose passion stopped them from begging on Twitter?

Now, let me be clear. I am not saying your child should study something they hate. That leads to dropping out or poor grades. But between hate and passion, there is a large middle ground called competence leading to satisfaction.

Your child may not love Accounting. But if they become competent at it, get ICAN certification, and earn a good salary that buys them a car and a house, they will be satisfied. Satisfaction is not passion. Satisfaction is good payment for good work.

The wise approach: Find a course that meets three conditions:

1. There is market demand for it (jobs exist)
2. Your child can become competent at it (natural ability or trainable skill)
3. Your child does not hate it (tolerable)

That is the sweet spot. Not passion. Not money alone. The intersection of market demand, competence, and tolerance.

The University Name Trap: OAU, UNILAG, UI vs Less Prestigious Schools

Many Nigerian parents focus obsessively on getting their child into OAU Ile-Ife, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, University of Nigeria, or University of Calabar. They believe the university name alone guarantees employment.

That belief is fading fast. And it is almost gone in some industries.

I have interviewed HR managers at Nigerian banks, telecom companies, and tech startups. Their response is consistent: We care more about what you can do than where you studied.

Yes, a First Class from UNILAG looks good. But a Second Class Upper from a less famous university with real internship experience, professional certifications, and a portfolio of work will often get the job over the UNILAG graduate with nothing else.

Rhetorical question: Would you rather your child graduate from OAU with a Third Class in a low-demand course or from a state university with a Second Class Upper in Computer Science plus three certifications?

The answer should be obvious. But many parents still chase prestige over practicality.

Akahi News has covered stories of graduates from UNN and UI who remained unemployed for years while graduates from private universities like Covenant, Bells, and Afe Babalola got jobs quickly because those universities embedded internships and certifications into their curriculum. The lesson: curriculum and skill matter more than the name on your certificate.

Of course, Akahi Tutors helps students gain admission into top universities like OAU, UNILAG, UI, UNN, UNICAL, and UNILORIN. But the centre also advises students on course selection and career planning before admission. That is the holistic approach. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

What If Your Child Has Already Chosen a Low-Demand Course?

Do not panic. All is not lost. But you need a rescue plan.

Option One: Add a marketable skill during university
A History student can learn digital marketing, content writing, or data analysis. A Philosophy student can learn coding or UI/UX design. The degree becomes background. The skill becomes the career.

Option Two: Pursue professional certifications
A Sociology graduate can take Project Management Professional (PMP), Human Resources (CIPM), or Customer Service certifications. These open doors that the degree alone cannot.

Option Three: Go for a marketable Master’s degree
A Botany graduate can pursue a Master’s in Environmental Science or Public Health. A Zoology graduate can pivot to Veterinary Medicine or Laboratory Science with extra qualifications.

Option Four: Combine the degree with entrepreneurship
A Fine Arts graduate can build a brand as a graphic designer or animator. A Theatre Arts graduate can become a voice-over artist or content creator on YouTube and TikTok.

Option Five: Become a teacher (but with strategy)
Teaching is honourable. But instead of waiting for government employment, your child can start a private tutorial centre (like Akahi Tutors) or offer online tutoring to international students.

Rhetorical question: Is it better to graduate with a low-demand course and a rescue plan or graduate with a low-demand course and hope?

You know the answer.

Why Akahi Tutors Includes Career Counselling Without Extra Charge

Most tutorial centres in Nigeria only care about passing exams. JAMB, WAEC, NECO, post-UTME – they drill past questions and send students home. That is short-sighted.

At Akahi Tutors, Ile-Ife, the philosophy is different. The centre believes that passing exams is just the beginning. The real goal is gainful employment or successful entrepreneurship after graduation.

That is why students at Akahi Tutors receive:

• Career assessment tests to identify their natural strengths
• Labour market briefings – which courses are hiring now
• Alternative pathways – if a student cannot study Medicine, what next? (Radiography? Physiotherapy? Nursing? Public Health?)
• Skill mapping – beyond JAMB, what skills should the student learn during university?

Akahi Tutors prepares students for Post-UTME, Pre-degree, WAEC, NECO, GCE, JUPEB, and School of Nursing entrance examinations. But the centre also prepares them for life after admission. That is the Akahi difference. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

Real Life Examples: Two Graduates, Two Different Outcomes

Let me share two stories I have covered personally at Akahi News.

Example A – Tunde, OAU graduate, History
Tunde loved History. His parents supported his “passion.” He graduated with Second Class Upper. After NYSC, he spent 18 months applying for jobs. He got one interview – for a teaching job paying ₦45,000. He took it. Two years later, he resigned to learn digital marketing. He now works as a content manager for a fintech company earning ₦250,000. His History degree? Almost irrelevant. His digital marketing skills? Everything.

Example B – Funke, UNN graduate, Computer Science
Funke did not love Computer Science initially. She wanted to study Fine Arts. Her father insisted on Computer Science. She entered UNN, struggled in first year, but kept going. By third year, she started learning frontend development on her own. She interned at a Lagos startup. She graduated with Second Class Lower (not even Upper). But she had a portfolio of three live websites. Within two months of graduation, she was hired by a bank as a frontend developer earning ₦350,000. She now owns a house at 27.

Rhetorical question: Which path would you choose for your child? The passion that leads to struggle or the practical choice that leads to financial freedom?

I rest my case.

Frequently Asked Questions from Parents and Students

Q: Can a low-demand course student ever become rich?
A: Yes. But not through formal employment. Entrepreneurship, content creation, politics, or entertainment are alternative routes. But those require different skills – sales, networking, risk-taking – that universities do not teach.

Q: Is Medicine still a safe course?
A: Yes, but with warning. Medicine requires many years of training (6+ years), expensive post-graduate exams, and the Nigerian health sector has its own challenges. But doctors rarely stay unemployed. They may be underpaid sometimes, but not unemployed.

Q: What about Law?
A: Law is medium demand. Many Law graduates struggle for years before getting established. The market is saturated except for those who specialise in corporate law, tax law, or tech law.

Q: My child wants to study Mass Communication. Is that a mistake?
A: Not a mistake if your child is willing to learn practical skills – video editing, audio production, copywriting, SEO, social media management. Mass Communication without practical skills is almost useless.

Q: What is the single best course for job security now?
A: Computer Science or any course that teaches coding, data analysis, or cybersecurity. The digital economy is not slowing down.

Q: Can my child change course after university?
A: Yes, through Master’s programmes in different fields or through professional certifications. Many engineers become bankers. Many linguists become tech product managers. The degree is not a prison sentence.

The Role of WAEC and NECO in All of This

Here is something parents often miss. Your child’s WAEC or NECO result determines which university courses they can even apply for.

If your child wants to study Medicine but has C5 in Biology and C6 in Chemistry, even 350 in JAMB will not fix that. The university will reject them because O’level is weighted.

If your child wants to study Computer Science but has D7 in Mathematics, forget it. Computer Science without strong Mathematics is like a car without fuel.

This is why Akahi Tutors, Ile-Ife, emphasises WAEC and NECO preparation just as seriously as JAMB and post-UTME. The centre helps students achieve the O’level grades that keep doors open, not close them. Call 08038644328 or WhatsApp wa.me/2348038644328.

Final Words from Joseph Iyaji, Akahi News

Dear parent, guardian, and prospective university student. I know this article has been uncomfortable. I have said things many tutorial centres and education bloggers will not say because they fear offending their audience. But Akahi News is not here to make you feel good. We are here to help you win.

Choosing a university course without thinking about employment is like boarding a bus without knowing its destination. You will end up somewhere, but it may not be where you intended.

Have the hard conversation today. Sit with your child. Look at the lists above. Ask the tough questions. If the answer is “this course has no clear job path,” consider alternatives before it is too late. It is easier to change course before university than to retrain after graduation.

And if your child is determined to pursue a low-demand course, at least have a rescue plan. Additional skills. Certifications. Internships. Entrepreneurship training. Something.

Rhetorical question: Would you rather have an uncomfortable conversation today or watch your child struggle with unemployment for years after graduation?

The choice is yours. Make it wisely.

If this article saved you or your child from making a costly mistake, do not keep it to yourself. Share it with that parent whose child is choosing a course right now. Share it with every JAMB candidate who is confused about what to study. Share it in every parents’ WhatsApp group you belong to.

Follow Akahi News daily for more career advice, admission strategies, and educational truths that will protect your family’s future.

And remember: The difference between a degree that lands a job and a degree that collects dust is often just one honest conversation. Have it today.