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The Federal Government has directed all universities
across the country to establish entrepreneurship centres. This is part
of an effort to ensure that quality graduates that are relevant to the
industry are produced.

Ruquayyatu Rufa’I, the Education Minister, who gave
this directive yesterday in Abuja at the opening of a workshop
organised by the National Universities Commission (NUC), stated that
universities are supposed to produce graduates that are self-reliant
and productive.

Considering other developmental challenges facing the
government, she said government may not fully cater for all the
employment needs “the entrepreneurship centres will equip graduates to
be self-reliant and independent of government.”

According to Mrs Rufa’I “The National Universities
Commission has taken measures in establishing these centres with a view
to addressing issues of job creating, poverty reduction and provision
of sustainable employment which should engender an increase in the
average income levels per household in Nigeria and as well improve the
international image of Nigeria through enhancing the competitiveness of
the economy.” She said the partnership with Centre for accountability,
transparency and good leadership (CATGOL) was in line with the federal
government determination of ensuring entrepreneurial education in
Nigerian universities curriculum.

She ensured that “federal ministry of education is determined to give its full support to the student advisory group framework.”

In the same vein, the Executive secretary, NUC,
Julius Okojie, said the scheme will provide an opportunity for
university undergraduates to directly engage and connect with credible,
reputable and successful well meaning Nigerians with a view to imbibing
values that made such people great.

According to him, “it will enhance students’ social
development across the Nigerian university system as well as produce
globally competitive and nationally relevant entrepreneurially imbued
graduates in order to make them internationally relevant and
competitive as well as make them job creators as against job seekers.”

On the objective of the workshops, the NUC said it
was intended to sensitise all Nigerian universities and other
stakeholders charged with the responsibility of promoting leadership
and entrepreneurship skills acquisition among youth in Nigeria.

Also speaking, the National President of CATGOL,
Bassey Effiong Ikot-Osin said there was a disconnect between creation
of policies and the implementation as well as disconnect between
lecturers and students and therefore called for decisive action and
collaboration among stakeholders.

He equally disclosed that entrepreneurship curriculum programme aims
at stimulating entrepreneurial talents among young people by enhancing
their ability to identify economic opportunities, while developing
other commercial skills such as creativity, innovativeness and planning
which will aid them in their professional life.