A Professor of Human Resource and Strategic Management at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Modupe Ajayi, has called for deliberate investment in Nigeria’s vast human capital, describing it as the key to the country’s competitiveness in the 21st century.
Ajayi made the call while delivering the university’s 202nd Inaugural Lecture, titled “Human Resource and Strategy: The Backbone of Global Competitiveness,” on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
She argued that the prosperity of nations and the success of organisations are no longer determined solely by natural resources, advanced technologies, favourable policies or strategic plans, but by their ability to transform these assets into sustainable value through capable, motivated and engaged people.
The professor urged both the public and private sectors to prioritise education, vocational and technical training, digital literacy, and lifelong learning as essential drivers of sustainable national development, innovation and institutional excellence.
“No nation can attain lasting global competitiveness without making its people its greatest strategic investment,” she said.
According to Ajayi, strategic human capital development must become a national priority through sustained investment in quality education, vocational and technical training, digital literacy and lifelong learning. She noted that these pillars equip individuals with the skills needed to innovate, adapt to changing realities and contribute meaningfully to national productivity, economic transformation and sustainable development.
She identified five pillars of global competitiveness as strategic clarity, human capability, inclusion and participation, knowledge and digital readiness, and execution discipline, describing them as the foundation for building enduring competitive advantage in an increasingly dynamic global environment.
Ajayi called on governments at all levels to strengthen educational institutions, expand access to vocational and technical education, promote digital literacy and create opportunities for continuous learning. She stressed that investing in people should be regarded not as a social obligation but as a strategic imperative for sustainable national development.
She also challenged industry leaders to prioritise talent development, ethical leadership and continuous capacity building by fostering workplaces that encourage innovation, productivity and employee engagement. According to her, organisations that invest intentionally in their workforce are better positioned to compete globally.
The don further urged universities and other higher education institutions to remain responsive to evolving societal and industry needs by producing graduates equipped with relevant knowledge, practical skills and entrepreneurial competencies through research, innovation and industry-driven curricula.
She also encouraged communities to promote inclusive learning initiatives, skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes that prepare citizens for productive participation in the knowledge economy. Students, she added, should embrace lifelong learning, adaptability and personal development as essential qualities for future leadership and career success.
Ajayi, who served as FUTA’s Registrar from 2011 to 2017, maintained that Nigeria’s competitiveness would be secured not by slogans, infrastructure or imported technologies alone, but by institutions that think strategically, lead ethically, learn continuously, promote inclusion and invest boldly in people.
She concluded that the future belongs to nations that place people at the centre of their development agenda, stressing that strategic human capital development remains the backbone of global competitiveness and the surest path to sustainable growth, innovation and shared prosperity.
In her remarks, FUTA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, described the inaugural lecture as a significant intellectual contribution to contemporary discourse on national development and organisational excellence.
She said Ajayi’s presentation reaffirmed the central role of human capital in sustainable development and highlighted the need for strategic investment in education, innovation and lifelong learning.
Oladiji commended the inaugural lecturer for delivering a thought-provoking and practical discourse, noting that the lecture challenged governments, industry, academia, communities and individuals to rethink the role of people as the nation’s greatest strategic asset.
She added that the message aligns with FUTA’s commitment to producing graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and values needed to drive innovation, solve societal challenges and enhance Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
