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The Federal Government says Tertiary institutions in the country should ensure full integration of entrepreneurship and innovation into their Academic Curriculum in order to make Nigerian graduates self-reliant after graduation rather than depending on securing Government jobs that are difficult to come by.
Vice-Chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya disclosed that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa is vigourously pursuing the policy initiative aimed at ensuring that every University and Polytechnic graduate leaves school not just with knowledge about their various disciplines, but also with the skills to start businesses and create jobs.
The Vice-Chancellor was speaking during the Opening Ceremony of a strategic Train-the-Trainer Workshop jointly organized by the University of Jos Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies and the German Development Agency (GIZ), in collaboration with other key stakeholders.
Professor Ishaya, who is a member of the National Project Management Committee on Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Business Incubation Certification, set up by the Federal Ministry of Education, explained that the new policy will ensure that Nigerian Students graduate with a dual qualification, their Academic Degree or Diploma and an Entrepreneurship Certificate.
The Vice-Chancellor stressed that the future of Nigerian graduates must be re-imagined around Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Job Creation rather than Academic Certificates alone.
According to Professor Ishaya, there is the urgent need for Nigerian Universities to produce graduates who are not only employable but are also equipped to create jobs.
He noted that the number of First-Class and Second-Class graduates being produced should no longer be the priority but how many graduates are leaving the University with scalable businesses and employable skills.
The Vice-Chancellor praised GIZ for entrusting the University of Jos with such a pivotal partnership, and thanked Plateau State Polytechnic and other stakeholders for their collaboration which is a testament to their shared values and commitment to national development through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Professor Ishaya, who is the Alternate Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities noted that, “This is the mindset we must instill in our students, a job-creating mindset. The reality is, jobs are not out there. Our students must be equipped to create them.”
He stressed that the current training under the Inspire Create Style and Scale (ICSS) programme is not just an Academic exercise but is designed to stimulate creativity, inspire innovation, and drive real-world business creation through incubation and transformation.
To key into the Federal Government’s new policy, the Vice-Chancellor announced the renaming of the University’s ‘Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies’ to the ‘Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation’, designed as a hub where Students and the wider community can explore ideas, build viable businesses, and drive meaningful change.
He disclosed that any Student with a creative and viable business idea will be fully funded by the University, affirming that the institution needs forward-thinking Students with good business concepts to produce forward-thinking businesses to help grow the nation.
Head of the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem and Coordinator of the ICSS programme of the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), Babafemi Ayediran said the ICSS training programme is a groundbreaking entrepreneurial initiative designed to address the real-time needs of Nigerian Students as well as Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
According to Babafemi, this is the first year of ICSS’s formal implementation in Nigeria as the programme is a culmination of years of entrepreneurship-focused interventions by the GIZ which last year marked 50 years of operating in Nigeria.
Plateau State Coordinator, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Jonathan Janfa and Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship, Plateau State Polytechnic, Dr Frederick Lohor both affirmed that the ICSS training is a strategic partnership and robust network that is igniting a nationwide movement to build entrepreneurial capacity and create lasting impact.
They stressed that their partnership with the GIZ in implementing the ICSS curriculum is part of a broader effort to combat economic challenges and poverty in the country through an inclusive and scalable approach towards enterprise development with long-term impact on youth employment, business creation, and economic sustainability.
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