The pioneer cohort of Ekiti State University (EKSU) professional diploma programme in Securities Trading and Financial Markets is set to graduate before the end of 2026, marking a major step in the institution's efforts to equip students with practical skills for careers in the financial markets.
The eight-month EKSU Financial Markets Training Programme (E-FMTP), approved by the university senate on February 25, 2026, combines classroom instruction with practical trading simulations and exposure to financial markets.
Prof. Oke Michael Ojo of the Department of Finance described the programme as part of the institution's efforts to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and the practical demands of the financial industry.
He said that the programme is anchored on the EKSU trading room, a state-of-the-art facility established through the vision of its Chancellor, Dr Tunji Olowolafe, with financial support from the Tunji Olowolafe Foundation (TOF).
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Ojo said the trading room was deliberately designed to give students hands-on experience in risk management, investment strategies and trading in global financial markets.
"We combined theoretical instruction with practical simulations so students gain a full, hands-on understanding of risk management, investment strategies, and live trading in global markets," he said.
The initiative aligns with the growing emphasis on financial literacy and investment education as tools for strengthening Nigeria's economy.
The chancellor stated that the programme was conceived to address what he described as a major gap between conventional university education and the practical skills required in modern capital markets.
"A large percentage of recent graduates seeking finance roles lack the critical, practical skills demanded by modern capital markets," he said.
According to him, E-FMTP seeks to shift higher education from predominantly theoretical learning to practical, real-time execution by exposing students to simulated dealing rooms and global virtual work experiences.
"By providing students with access to a fully accredited diploma programme, live simulated dealing rooms, and global virtual work experiences, we are not just giving them a degree; we are instilling a professional instinct," he stressed.
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He added that the model should be replicated across Nigerian universities to prepare young people for professional roles in the global financial industry.
The General Manager of TOF, Bomo Anthony, noted that the programme's value extends beyond the infrastructure and technology deployed in the Trading Room.
"I've watched these students grow, week by week, from learning about shares and bonds to actually placing a trade. That's the moment it stops being a classroom exercise and starts being a career," she said.
She said the initiative was designed to produce graduates who possess practical professional skills in addition to academic qualifications.
"This investment only pays off if the students protect it and build on it," she said, adding that the university was graduating "a group of young people who already think like professionals".
