Alumni Networks Key to Unlocking Hidden Job Market, Enterprise Growth, Says Expert

Omolabake Fasogbon 

Professional relationships have become a key economic asset, with many jobs, business partnerships and investment opportunities now emerging through trusted networks rather than public channels, a Professor of Accounting &Finance at Lead City University, Godwin Oyedokun has said.

Speaking at the 2026 Babcock University Alumni Association Week in Ogun State recently, Oyedokun said graduates and institutions that intentionally build strong alumni networks would be better positioned to access opportunities, strengthen innovation and remain globally competitive.

He advised that networking should no longer be viewed as a social activity but as strategic tool for career advancement, entrepreneurship and institutional development.

“Success is no longer determined solely by what one knows but by who one knows and how effectively one collaborates,” he said, describing networking as a necessity for personal success, institutional advancement and global relevance.

According to him, meaningful professional relationships create access to information, mentorship, funding, business referrals and collaborations that conventional channels often fail to provide.

Such relationship capital, he noted, has become as valuable as financial capital in today’s knowledge-driven economy. 

Oyedokun stressed that many employment opportunities and leadership appointments are secured through referrals long before they are publicly advertised, urging professionals to cultivate authentic, long-term relationships built on trust and value creation. 

He said alumni networks, when properly mobilised, could strengthen business growth, improve graduate employability, facilitate research partnerships, expand mentorship and attract investment for universities. 

 “The strength of the alumni network lies in its collective capacity to open doors that individual effort cannot. Traditional job hunting reveals only about 20 per cent of available opportunities. Networking uncovers the remaining 80 per cent through trusted referrals rather than public advertisements,” he added.

 He, however, identified weak alumni engagement, poor personal branding, limited digital networking skills and inadequate networking platforms as barriers preventing many professionals from maximising available opportunities. 

To unlock the economic value of alumni communities, Oyedokun said, “Universities must invest in structured networking platforms, mentorship programmes, technology-driven engagement and entrepreneurship collaborations that connect graduates across industries and borders”.