Competency-Based Education and Employability of Business Education Graduates in South West Nigerian Universities

This study investigated the relationship between competency-based education practices in Business Education programmes and the employability of graduates in South West Nigerian universities. Competency-based education, an outcomes-focused instructional approach that emphasizes the mastery of defined professional competencies over content coverage, has been advocated as a solution to the graduate employability crisis in Nigerian higher education. For Business Education, where professional competencies are clearly definable, the CBE model holds particular promise. Anchored in the Human Capital Theory and Competency-Based Learning Theory, a cross-sectional correlational survey design was adopted. The population comprised 850 Business Education graduates who had entered the labour market within the past four years from universities in Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti States. A stratified sample of 425 graduates was selected. The CBE Implementation Quality Index and the Graduate Employability Scale, both developed and validated through rigorous psychometric processes, were used for data collection. Multiple regression and mediation analysis were performed. Findings reveal that practical skills assessment, industry-linked project work, and competency portfolio development are the strongest predictors of graduate employability. Portfolio development mediates the relationship between CBE practices and employer satisfaction outcomes. The study recommends the formal adoption of competency-based education frameworks in Business Education programmes in South West universities, supported by NUC policy guidance and employer engagement protocols. Keywords: competency-based education, employability, business education graduates, South West Nigeria, Human Capital Theory