The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, FCVSN, has stated that the Commission’s partnership with the University of Koblenz and the University of Erfurt, Germany, on university entrepreneurship projects will accelerate the development of innovation ecosystems in Nigerian universities and enhance their capacity to compete globally while effectively addressing local and national challenges.
Professor Ribadu made the assertion during his opening remarks at a two-day collaborative workshop organised by the NUC in partnership with the two German universities. The workshop, themed “Entrepreneurship Support, Knowledge and Technology Transfer in Nigerian Higher Education,” underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing entrepreneurship and innovation within Nigeria’s university system.
Represented by the Director, Research, Innovation and Information Technology (DRIIT), Mallam Mohammed Lawal Farouk, the Executive Secretary noted that the Commission organised the workshop in recognition of the need for Nigerian universities to transcend their traditional roles of teaching and research and evolve into hubs of creativity, enterprise, and societal transformation.
He stressed that the future of higher education depends largely on its ability to prepare graduates for a rapidly changing global environment by equipping them with entrepreneurial competencies, innovation-driven mindsets, and practical skills capable of addressing contemporary socio-economic challenges.
According to him, the partnership between the NUC, the University of Koblenz, and the University of Erfurt represents a significant step towards strengthening the entrepreneurial capacity of Nigerian universities and fostering stronger linkages between academia, industry, and society.
Professor Ribadu further underscored the Commission’s recognition of the need to strengthen the linkages between universities and industry, noting that the success of modern universities can no longer be measured solely by the quality of their teaching and research. Rather, he said, it should be assessed by their ability to transform ideas into innovation, innovation into enterprise, and research into tangible societal impact.
According to him, this conviction informed the development and implementation of the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), which places greater emphasis on learner-centred and competency-based education.
He explained that the CCMAS framework is designed to equip students not only with disciplinary knowledge but also with entrepreneurial skills, digital competencies, critical thinking abilities, and the adaptability required to thrive in today’s dynamic workplace.
The Executive Secretary further noted that achieving these objectives requires stronger partnerships among academia, government, industry, and investors, as well as institutional cultures that encourage creativity, support innovation, and reward entrepreneurial initiatives.
He urged participants to engage actively in the workshop, share experiences and best practices, and develop actionable recommendations that would strengthen the culture of entrepreneurship and innovation across Nigerian universities.
Professor Ribadu expressed confidence that the deliberations and outcomes of the workshop would contribute significantly to the realization of the nation’s shared vision of universities that produce graduates equipped to innovate, generate research that addresses real-world challenges, and create knowledge that delivers value to society.
The opening ceremony also featured a presentation on the activities and achievements of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Africa by its Regional Representative in Accra, Ghana, and Programme Officer, Mr. Komivi Mawusime Lasmothey.
During the presentation, Mr. Lasmothey enlightened participants on the various funding opportunities available through the agency and provided guidance on the modalities and procedures for accessing DAAD-supported grants and programmes aimed at strengthening higher education, research, innovation, and international collaboration across the continent.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the German Embassy in Nigeria, including the Cultural Attaché in Abuja, as well as representatives of the University of Koblenz and the University of Erfurt, Germany. The speakers commended the NUC for facilitating the partnership and reaffirmed their institutions’ commitment to supporting initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, innovation, and knowledge transfer within Nigerian higher education.
The workshop served as a collaborative platform focusing on Academic Entrepreneurship, Knowledge and Technology Transfer, and Business Start-Up Development, with particular emphasis on introducing the German EXIST Initiative as a model for fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems within Nigerian institutions of higher education.
The event was conceived as a strategic precursor to the introduction and adaptation of the German EXIST Knowledge and Technology Transfer and Business Start-Up Grants Initiative within Nigerian universities and other higher education institutions.
The EXIST model has gained international recognition for promoting academic entrepreneurship by supporting students, graduates, researchers, and university personnel in transforming innovative ideas and research outcomes into viable business ventures. Its adaptation to the Nigerian higher education landscape is expected to strengthen institutional capacities for innovation, commercialization, and entrepreneurial development.
The initiative also provides a practical framework for the establishment of a Science-to-Entrepreneurship and Start-Up Business Grants Programme aimed at supporting innovative research outputs and facilitating their transformation into commercially viable products, services, and enterprises.
Through this framework, participating institutions will be better positioned to nurture entrepreneurial talent, strengthen innovation ecosystems, and contribute meaningfully to national economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development.
The primary objectives of the workshop were to enhance the capacity of institutional leadership, faculty members, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders in Nigerian higher education institutions in the areas of entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology transfer. The initiative is also expected to contribute significantly to addressing the challenges of unemployment, underemployment, and insecurity through entrepreneurship-driven solutions and enterprise development.
Specifically, the collaborative partnership is expected to achieve the following outcomes:
- Establish institutional frameworks for academic entrepreneurship and innovation management;
- Support the institutionalisation and mainstreaming of entrepreneurship and start-up development initiatives within higher education institutions;
- Facilitate employment generation, wealth creation, and sustainable economic development;
- Promote effective knowledge and technology transfer from academia to industry and society;
- Enhance institutional management through exposure to global best practices, expertise, and experiences; and
- Foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking among scholars, researchers, and students.
The workshop represents another significant step in the NUC’s efforts to reposition Nigerian universities as centres of innovation, enterprise, and sustainable development, while strengthening international partnerships that advance the transformation of the nation’s higher education system. Participants at the workshop included Directors of the National Universities Commission, representatives of federal, state, and private universities, Directors of Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs), Academic Planners, and representatives of partner institutions from Germany and other countries.