Scholars seek urgent reform of Nigeria’s PhD system

Nigerian scholars are advocating for urgent reforms in the country's doctoral education system, citing concerns over low PhD output rates, lengthy completion periods, and a lack of connection between academic research and national development. This call for change was made during a workshop hosted by the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR) and the Carnegie Corporation in Abuja.

The workshop aimed to examine the PhD supervision, funding, research quality, and policy frameworks in Nigerian universities.

Prof. Ayo Ojebode, Principal Investigator of the PhD Models in Africa study, highlighted that Africa's population holding PhDs is only about 0.3 percent, leading to a significant manpower gap. According to Ojebode, the project seeks to address not just an academic or research gap, but a broader manpower issue. The study will examine various aspects of doctoral education across Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, and South Africa, focusing on supervision, completion periods, students' experiences, and successful doctoral models for replication.

Prof. Fatai Aremu, the Nigeria Country Principal Investigator, emphasized that doctoral research should be directed towards solving societal problems rather than creating theses that remain unused. He urged universities to move away from focusing on research topics to identifying pressing issues that PhD research should address.

Aremu also stressed the need for continuous training of supervisors and improved research infrastructure, arguing that doctoral candidates should not be required to spend 10 or 15 years completing their degrees.

Constance Furaha Mohunga, Head of Finance and Administration at PASGR, noted that the study aims to identify a doctoral model that could enhance access, funding, completion rates, and research impact across Africa. The ultimate goal is to produce researchers whose work can influence policy and development throughout the continent.