Dr Aliyu ShugabaCentre for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development University of Maiduguri, Nigeria

Ecosystem in Action - A Nigerian Model: Lessons Learnt.

In most parts of the world the entrepreneurial ecosystem has emerged as a benchmark for designing entrepreneurship policies, especially for new technology-oriented ventures.

EcosystemsEcosystems generally consist of a set of different

interconnected actors within a specific area, which includes the following components:

 Universities and R&D institutions, Qualified human resources, Formal and informal networks, Governments/government agencies, Angel investors and venture capitalists, Professional service providers, and An enterprising culture which connects all of these factors

in an open and dynamic way  

Considering the locally based nature of many of these components, each ecosystem would be characterised by the very specific and idiosyncratic way in which these factors are locally available and combined.

Nigeria contextThe policy thrust of the Entrepreneurship Programme in

Nigeria is geared towards the development of entrepreneurial skills and competencies for people in areas such as creativity, leadership, business plans, and networking.

In 2007, the Federal Government of Nigeria directed the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to ensure that institutions under their supervision establish Centres for Entrepreneurship Development as a matter of urgency.

The strategic objectives of this National Policy are to:

Improve the capacity of youths to develop positive independent and innovative thought process and overall entrepreneurial mindset, and

Develop vocational skills as a way of stimulating future graduates towards venture creation.

 By this policy, all tertiary institutions were expected to integrate

entrepreneurship education into all curricula offered. The NUC, in carrying out this directive, had designated the courses and course synopsis for two benchmark courses and charged Universities to add a few more courses in accordance with their peculiar needs.

  

University Of MaiduguriCentre for Entrepreneurship and EnterpriseDevelopment

Vision: To create an internationally recognized Centre of Excellence for spreading the spirit of enterprise through education, training and research using innovative, interdisciplinary approaches.

 Mission: To enrich the knowledge horizon of

students and staff in the field of entrepreneurship and nurture the development of high quality entrepreneurs with capabilities for creating employment through business venturing and strategic planning.

Objectives: CEED is a multi-disciplinary, campus-wide Centre focusing on entrepreneurial education, training and research. The Centre seeks to create unique opportunities through partnerships among students, faculty members, community entrepreneurial leaders, and companies within and outside the catchment area. These partnerships are expected to leverage the strengths of all participants to develop the critical skills necessary to (1) identify new opportunities, (2) accelerate the development and commercialization of new technologies, and (3) create and grow successful new business ventures. The Centre will serve as the laboratory of the entrepreneurship programme and its major objectives are to:

Create and promote entrepreneurial awareness and opportunities,

Nurture the talents and ideas of students to create and sustain businesses so that they emerge as business owners with professional skills,

Offer, through academic programmes, practical hands-on education in entrepreneurship and service-learning activities within the community and the region,

Provide students with the necessary skills to think creatively, to successfully launch their own businesses, or to support an employer in launching and growing an entrepreneurial venture,

Offer mentoring and consultancy services to small and medium scale enterprises within and outside the catchment area of the University,

Transfer research efforts from the laboratory to the marketplace and thus, promote successful clusters of entrepreneurial businesses, and

Long Term VisionMake University of Maiduguri the bedrock

for developing, testing and actualising creative entrepreneurial skills within the North-Eastern region, which then moves into other parts of Nigeria’s socioeconomic environment leading to the export of knowledge exchange across Africa and on-going worldwide exploitation.

Views of the Centre

Our Partnership with Wolverhampton

Already established a framework for the development of entrepreneurial capacity.

This has to do with delivery of the local content for Maiduguri.

Signing of MOU between Wolverhampton and Maiduguri

Resources Available for Exploitation Solar EnergyBio-resourcesAnimal ResourcesSodom Apple (Calotropis procera)Natural Gums (Gum Arabic)Vast Human Resources (About 168 million

people)

Utility Vehicles of the Centre

Major Challenges of the Centre

University of Maiduguri Microfinance Bank

Visit to the Centre by Wolverhampton Team

Nigeria

Thank you