The University of Abuja has intensified efforts to promote student entrepreneurship and self-reliance with the rollout of a large-scale skills acquisition programme targeting 6,000 students.
The initiative, coordinated through the institution’s Directorate of Entrepreneurship and led by Professor Adeniran Lateef, is designed to equip students with practical vocational and digital competencies relevant to today’s evolving economy.
The eight-week intensive programme focuses on bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world enterprise development by exposing participants to hands-on training across multiple sectors.
Under the digital and technology category, students are being trained in web development, UI/UX design, software development, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
The programme also includes creative and vocational tracks such as fashion design, shoe and bag making, hair styling, cosmetology, baking, knitting, and other enterprise-based skills aimed at promoting economic independence among students.
University officials said the initiative reflects the institution’s commitment to producing graduates who possess both academic qualifications and entrepreneurial capabilities needed to thrive in a competitive labour market.
The programme comes amid growing concerns over graduate unemployment and increasing calls for Nigerian universities to integrate practical and innovation-driven learning into tertiary education.
It also aligns with the Federal Government’s recent introduction of the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Incubation Certification (EIBIC) policy across federal universities.
The policy seeks to ensure that students graduate with practical business, innovation, and venture development skills capable of supporting self-employment and enterprise creation.
By expanding entrepreneurship training opportunities for thousands of students, UNIABUJA is positioning itself as one of the institutions prioritising innovation, digital literacy, and startup development within Nigeria’s higher education system.
Education stakeholders have continued to stress the importance of skills-based learning as universities respond to changing workforce demands and the growing influence of technology on global employment trends.
