Nigerian university to set up firm to market products produced by its students

Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, will set up a company to market products produced by students under the university’s compulsory entrepreneurship and skills acquisition programme.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Lawrence Ezemonye, ​​stated this on Wednesday in Okada during the institution’s 10th student product exhibition.

He said that the company has become necessary to commercialize all the products made by the students every year, with the proceeds returned to the program to develop better.

“We created a company for the EPS (Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition) program; it is for the commercialization of all the products we see here.

“Every year, the products will be sold, and the funds will be returned to the school account and returned to the EPS program to develop better,” he said.

The vice chancellor said the exhibition marked the official conclusion of the training, which is mandatory for 300-level students in all disciplines, after they have been exposed to 14 different skill sets.

He described the university’s role in developing an entrepreneurial culture among students and staff as critical to national development.

“This is in line with our ultimate goal of ensuring that every graduate leaves university with at least one skill that will enable them to find a profitable niche in an economy where youth unemployment has risen to over 30 percent.

“Creating entrepreneurship goes beyond learning and developing skills. Therefore, the university uses a multifaceted approach to achieve our goals in this area,” said Mr. Ezemonye, ​​a professor.

praise

The guest speaker, Jum’at Okpara, expressed regret that many universities do not prepare students for the challenges after school, especially how to stand on their own.

Mr. Okpara, who is the director, Partnerships and Coordination, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), said students prefer to prepare files, look for jobs that are not available.

He commended Igbinedion University for adopting the right path of inculcating the entrepreneurial mind to students and imparting the practical component of these skills.

The director of SMEDAN said that a meeting will be held with the management of the institution on how the agency can improve and expand its partnership in entrepreneurship development with the university.

He urged the students to tap into the entrepreneurial mindset of the owner of the institution, Gabriel Igbinedion who, he said, found a loophole in the Nigerian education system and established the university.

Mr. Okpara, who described every challenge as an opportunity, urged the students to recognize opportunities and take action.

Earlier in his speech, Mary Josiah, director, Center for Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition of the university, said the program offers guidance and advisory services to students by bringing in successful entrepreneurs from the industry to train them in various skills.

He said certificates would be issued to successful students at the end of the program.

(IN)