The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has called on Nigeria’s higher institutions to transform into hubs of creativity, innovation, and sustainable enterprise, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes youth empowerment and economic diversification.
Alausa made this call in a goodwill message delivered at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, during a colloquium and the formal inauguration of the Olufemi Okenla Entrepreneur Centre, a state-of-the-art facility donated by the Olufemi Okenla Foundation.
Represented by the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, the Minister emphasized that Nigeria can no longer afford to produce graduates who are solely job seekers. “Our institutions must raise a generation of job creators, innovators, and solution providers,” he said.
Speaking on the theme, “The Role of Tertiary Institutions in Promoting Entrepreneurship in Nigeria”, the Minister stressed that despite Nigeria’s rich talent pool, the country continues to struggle with high unemployment. He urged universities to lead the way in bridging the gap between academic learning and economic self-sufficiency.
“As we commission this centre and engage in this colloquium, let us renew our commitment to empowering youth — not only with theoretical knowledge, but with the capacity to transform that knowledge into value,” Alausa stated. He also commended the Olufemi Okenla Foundation for the multi-million-naira contribution, pledging the Ministry’s continued support for such impactful partnerships.
In his remarks, Mr. Olufemi Okenla, a UK-based entrepreneur and pioneer student of the then Ogun State University (now OOU), recounted his early days on campus, stating that the idea to give back had always been a personal mission. He revealed that the entrepreneurial centre was built at a cost of ₦350 million, with an additional ₦100 million reserved for its initial operations until it becomes self-sustaining.
Okenla further announced that the centre would begin admitting students in September, with 20 scholarships already secured — 10 for indigent but brilliant candidates and 10 for members of the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), where he worships. He also pledged a ₦20 million seed fund for the best four students who complete the programme, to help launch their ventures.
Vice-Chancellor of OOU, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, lauded Okenla’s generosity, describing the donation as a major milestone in the university’s commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. He encouraged other alumni to follow Okenla’s example by contributing to the development of the university.
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Olusegun Sogbesan, a respected voice in entrepreneurship education, called for a fundamental rethinking of higher education’s purpose in Nigeria. “Entrepreneurship must no longer be viewed as a backup plan for unemployed graduates. It should be seen as a prestigious, first-class career option underpinned by rigorous, hands-on education,” he said.
Sogbesan proposed making entrepreneurship a core course in Nigerian universities, insisting that all students should undergo business training, start real projects, and graduate with both academic and enterprise credentials. “If we keep producing graduates who can write exams but not business proposals, we are failing the youth and sabotaging the future of the country,” he warned.
The colloquium concluded with a tour of the ultramodern centre, which houses training suites, co-working spaces, digital labs, and incubation units, all designed to nurture the entrepreneurial ambitions of OOU students and the wider Ogun State community.
The inauguration of the Olufemi Okenla Entrepreneur Centre marks a significant step toward repositioning higher education in Nigeria as a vehicle for national development, productivity, and enterprise.
