New Innovation Programme Targets Job Creators In Nigeria’s Crowded Labour Market
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has launched an ambitious Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Incubation Certification (EIBIC) programme aimed at equipping students with practical skills to become successful entrepreneurs and creators of wealth.
Unveiled at a ceremony on Thursday, the initiative marks a strategic push by the institution to prepare students for a rapidly evolving economic landscape where innovation, enterprise and adaptability increasingly determine success beyond the classroom.
Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Research), Bolanle Oboh, described the programme as part of the university’s broader commitment to nurturing graduates who can identify opportunities and transform ideas into viable businesses.
Oboh explained that entrepreneurship would remain a core experience throughout students’ academic journey, urging participants to actively engage in innovation-driven activities and collaborative learning that may extend beyond their academic disciplines.
According to her, the EIBIC programme also opens doors to partnerships with industries, organisations and international universities that will provide sponsorships, mentorship and exposure to real-world enterprise environments.
“These opportunities will bridge the gap between academic theories and the realities of business practice,” she noted, adding that the initiative is designed to stimulate creativity, design thinking and innovation among students in order to build globally competitive enterprises.
Delivering one of the keynote sessions, the Executive Director of Emadeb Energy Group, Gbesoye Debo-Olujimi, challenged students to anchor every business idea on purpose and service, stressing that successful ventures must begin with the desire to solve real problems.
She noted that while creativity might attract attention to a business, professionalism and efficient systems were essential for sustaining customer trust and building lasting enterprises.
Debo-Olujimi further urged aspiring entrepreneurs to treat clients and stakeholders with respect, emphasising that customer feedback, even negative reviews, should be viewed as opportunities to strengthen operational systems.
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Folasade Ogunsola, highlighted the urgency of the programme, noting that Nigeria’s large youth population makes entrepreneurship a necessity rather than a choice.
Ogunsola observed that the country’s population of over 266 million people includes tens of millions of young people, far exceeding the number of available jobs within the formal economy.
She therefore encouraged students to adopt what she described as a “glass-half-full mindset”, stressing that entrepreneurs must see problems as opportunities to innovate, create value and generate employment for others.
According to her, UNILAG’s entrepreneurship education is not merely about vocational training but about cultivating critical thinking, analytical ability and communication skills capable of building resilient businesses and industries.
Also speaking with journalists, the Director of the Entrepreneurship and Skill Development Centre, Sunday Adebisi, said the initiative was designed to close a major knowledge gap among students who often lack awareness of available entrepreneurial opportunities.
He explained that the programme would ensure that students graduate not only with academic qualifications but also with the capacity to identify market problems and transform innovative ideas into viable enterprises.
Highlighting the programme’s broader vision, organisers said the initiative aims to nurture a generation of graduates capable of launching startups that can create employment for thousands rather than merely seeking limited job openings.
The event also featured recognition of distinguished contributors to Africa’s innovation ecosystem, with a Grand Mentor Award presented to Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, founding partner of Future Africa, in acknowledgement of his role in supporting entrepreneurship and technology-driven ventures across the continent.