Nigeria Must Embrace Foresight in Education and Policy

The article addresses Nigeria's challenges in proactive policymaking, particularly in the context of emergencies like flooding, food price increases, and job scarcity. It highlights the importance of foresight and futures thinking, as learned by the author from André Roux and Morné Mostert at Stellenbosch University’s Institute for Futures Research.

The article notes that Nigeria's policy environment is often reactive, focusing on immediate issues rather than long-term planning. With a projected population of 237.5 million by 2025, including a significant youth demographic, the need for education, skills, jobs, and healthcare is critical.

The author stresses that without evolving education and labor markets, Nigeria risks turning its demographic advantage into a demographic burden. The article advocates for horizon scanning and scenario planning to help policymakers identify potential future challenges and trends, moving beyond superficial indicators like food price rises to understand underlying causes.