With the keen interest about the employability of Nigerian Youths, French Embassy in Nigeria with a project tagged “French in Nigeria, a language of employability” has invited RIBARA, a platform at the forefront of closing employability gaps in education in Nigeria and beyond to the project presentation in Abuja.
The project, set up in partnership with the National Association of University Teachers of French (ANEUF-UFTAN) has made it possible to stir up conversation on the creation of French language programmes better adapted to the job market and the new expectations of professional recruiters.
The programme brought together the members of ANEUF association involved in the project and representatives of various institutional and educational organisations in order to review the first conclusions and the actions to be taken to improve the teaching and learning environment for French.
Speaking at the project presentation in Abuja, Thierry Valentin, Head of Cooperation and Cultural Action at the French Embassy, emphasized the embassy’s commitment to collaboration.
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“The French Embassy obtained funding in July 2024 to launch this project. We are engaging all necessary stakeholders to ensure it delivers tangible outcomes for Nigerian youths,” he said.
The Linguistic Attaché also highlighted the embassy’s comprehensive audit of French language programs in ten Nigerian universities, aimed at redesigning curricula for B.A. French students and minors to better align with professional expectations.
A co-founder of RIBARA, Dr. Ada Peter of Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state in her presentation at the event explained that the educational landscape is evolving rapidly, yet there’s a widening gap between academia and industry needs.
She added that universities are struggling to keep their curricula relevant, and students are finding themselves ill-prepared for the workforce. “That’s where Ribara comes in. Ribara is not just another educational or networking platform.
“We’ve developed a complete ecosystem that bridges the gap between education and employability, ensuring that every student is on a personalized path to job readiness, every university can continuously improve the relevance of its curricula, and every employer can access job-ready talent on the website www.ribara.co.
“This unique tool allows users to connect, track, and assess their employability across over 51,200 job roles. It personalizes their learning journey, providing clear insights into the skills they need to acquire or improve to meet industry standards.”
She continued: “Universities can use this feature to analyze and improve the industry relevance of their teaching content. By aligning curricula with current market demands, institutions can better prepare students for the workforce, thereby enhancing their employability.
Talking about the market opportunity, Dr. Peter said: “We are competing in the rapidly growing online education and professional networking market, which was valued at over $350 billion last year and with the increasing demand for job-ready graduates and industry-relevant education, this market is only set to expand further.
“The platform is currently collaborating with several Nigerian universities to address gaps identified in the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) newly released Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).
“We are happy to be in collaboration with the French embassy and we are seeking to establish strategic partnerships with more universities and industries worldwide who see the vision and want to be a part of this transformative journey but starting in Nigeria,” she added.
RIBARA, created by graduates of Covenant University and Harvard University, is a leading platform helping users boost their employability through a social media platform for education and job skills. The platform is connecting individuals, universities, and employers to transform education and career outcomes.
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