Beyond degrees: ABU Zaria to transform students into entrepreneurs before graduation

Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria, is intensifying efforts to equip students with entrepreneurial skills and transform them into employers of labour before graduation amidst shrinking conventional employment opportunities.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ahmed Adamu, disclosed this in Zaria on Tuesday, at the inauguration of the “Create Before You Graduate” programme, an initiative organised by the International Centre for Excellence for Rural Finance and Entrepreneurship, ICERFE.

The programme was organised in collaboration with the university’s Directorate of Advancement and International Education, to provide students with opportunities to develop and commercialise innovative ideas.

Mr Adamu said the initiative was designed to move entrepreneurship education beyond classrooms by providing students with the freedom, space and support required to transform innovative ideas into viable businesses.

He noted that the university had offered entrepreneurship-related courses for years, adding that it would now focus more on producing graduates capable of creating jobs rather than depending on others.

“We have always felt that, in recent times, we need to get students out as employers of labour rather than employees of other people,” he said.

The vice-chancellor said the university had developed the networks and traction required to sustain the initiative through support from alumni, investors, government agencies and financial institutions.

He said ABU’s growing reputation in innovation had attracted policymakers and investors, adding that various state governments and development partners were increasingly supporting initiatives promoting entrepreneurship.

Mr Adamu disclosed that Moniepoint had recently selected ABU for an investment of about N1 billion to establish an incubation hub, expected to further strengthen the university’s innovation ecosystem.

He explained that “Create Before You Graduate” would operate as a standalone platform rather than a compulsory academic course, giving students greater freedom to explore ideas beyond conventional classroom limitations.

The vice-chancellor said the initiative could serve as a model for universities seeking to complement academic learning with practical entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation capable of contributing to economic development.

Earlier, a former Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, Jelani Aliyu, urged students to harness innovation and emerging technologies to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Mr Aliyu, who delivered keynote address at the event, said the paper intended to inspire students to believe in their abilities, remain patriotic and recognise their capacity to develop solutions capable of benefiting communities and Nigeria.

According to him, Nigerian students could compete globally if they understood available opportunities and technological tools and effectively applied them to develop innovative solutions to contemporary challenges.

“We are at a crucial point in Nigeria’s history where we need every innovative idea to really move the country forward,” Mr Aliyu said.

He urged the students to take advantage of the tools, facilities and enabling environment provided by ABU to pursue innovative ideas, develop solutions and achieve their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Speaking on electric mobility, Aliyu said although he had left NADDC for the private sector, initiatives introduced during his tenure contributed significantly to advancing Nigeria’s electric vehicle development.
He said the council pioneered solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations to address challenges associated with unreliable electricity supply from the national grid.

Mr Aliyu added that NADDC worked with automobile manufacturers and supported the establishment of training centres, noting that some companies were now assembling electric vehicles locally.

He expressed optimism that Nigeria’s electric mobility drive would continue to gain momentum, pledging his continued support for technological innovation and development of the sector.

Also speaking, a former Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Shehu Abdullahi, assured students that the university would continue providing mentorship and other support while allowing them to lead innovation development.

Mr Abdullahi urged the university management to sustain the initiative, stressing that producing self-reliant graduates capable of creating employment was essential to addressing Nigeria’s growing youth unemployment challenge.

In his remarks, the Director of ICERFE, Prof. Baba El-Yakub, said the university remained committed to supporting outstanding student teams participating in international innovation and entrepreneurship competitions.

Mr El-Yakub said ABU had previously supported students who represented Nigeria at international competitions in Silicon Valley, United States, and China, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing young innovators.

He disclosed that three student teams were currently preparing to participate in innovation-related engagements in Nairobi, Shenzhen and Brazil as the university continued mobilising support for student innovators.
NAN