A delegation from the British Council (BC) Nigeria, led by the Director, Programmes, Mr. Chikodi Onyemerela, on Tuesday, 7th April 2026, visited the National Universities Commission (NUC) to present an Entrepreneurship Toolkit developed for possible adoption in Nigerian universities.
The team shared the toolkit with the Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, FCVSN, and members of the Commission’s management. The resource was developed following a survey conducted across selected Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and is intended for validation and potential integration into Entrepreneurship Studies within the Nigerian University System (NUS).
In his remarks, Mr. Onyemerela described the NUC as a natural partner to the British Council, commending the Commission’s ongoing reforms and strategic direction, which align with the Council’s objectives for engagement with higher education institutions in Nigeria.
He highlighted key British Council interventions in the country, including initiatives in Open and Distance Learning, Transnational Education (TNE), and the recent drive to embed entrepreneurship within the higher education system.
Mr. Onyemerela stressed the strong link between entrepreneurship education and graduate employability, noting growing concerns over unemployment and underemployment due to skills gaps in the labour market. He emphasised that entrepreneurship should no longer be treated as optional, but as a critical tool for addressing societal challenges.
According to him, entrepreneurship must be fully integrated into teaching methodologies, group learning processes, and research culture, with a focus on producing commercially viable outcomes that can benefit society.
He further explained that, in recognition of the NUC’s efforts in mainstreaming entrepreneurship into the national curriculum, the British Council partnered with Co-Creation Hub (CcHub) and De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom, to develop a practical framework that can be adapted for implementation across Nigerian universities.
In his response, the Executive Secretary, Professor Ribadu, welcomed the initiative and commended the British Council for sharing the toolkit with the Commission, describing the Council as a valued partner over the years.
He noted that entrepreneurship has already been embedded in the Core Curriculum and Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) as a compulsory course for students in the Nigerian University System. He added that entrepreneurship has also evolved into a stand-alone academic programme and is currently one of the most sought-after courses, alongside Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
Professor Ribadu expressed readiness to review the presentation with a view to identifying areas of alignment and possible enhancement, while ensuring its relevance to the Nigerian University System.
He concluded by appreciating the British Council for its continued support and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to sustained collaboration on initiatives that would strengthen the quality and impact of university education in Nigeria.
In a presentation titled “Enhancing Entrepreneurship Education in Nigerian Higher Education Institutions,” the Head of Higher Education, British Council Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Emenahor, outlined the objectives of the engagement with the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He stated that the meeting aimed to share programme progress and key milestones; present insights from stakeholder engagements and needs assessments; introduce the Entrepreneurship Education Framework and Toolkit; obtain NUC’s feedback to enhance alignment and relevance; and discuss next steps for implementation across Nigerian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
Providing context for the initiative, Mr. Emenahor noted that by 2030, young Africans will account for approximately 42% of the global youth population, with over 70% of Nigeria’s population, estimated at more than 200 million, currently under the age of 30. He described this demographic trend as a significant economic opportunity, provided young people are equipped with the skills to become job creators rather than job seekers.
He further observed that persistent socioeconomic challenges and limited job opportunities have resulted in nearly 80% of Nigerian graduates struggling to secure employment. According to him, this is largely due to the emphasis on theoretical knowledge and “white-collar” orientation within universities, which leaves many graduates without the practical skills required in today’s labour market.
Mr. Emenahor also highlighted that despite the 2004 government directive mandating the establishment of Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs) in universities, implementation has remained suboptimal. He noted that programme delivery is still largely theoretical, while students face critical barriers such as inadequate funding, limited mentorship, and insufficient industry exposure, thereby reducing the effectiveness of entrepreneurship modules.
Against this backdrop, he explained that the British Council developed the Enhancing Entrepreneurship Education in Nigerian HEIs Programme to address these systemic challenges. The initiative, he said, is designed to provide universities with practical frameworks, tools, and industry linkages required to strengthen institutional capacity and facilitate the transition from theoretical learning to enterprise creation.
He disclosed that the programme is structured around six key components, including stakeholder engagement for validation and design; capacity development workshops for EDC leaders, academics, and institutional management; and knowledge transfer through Train-the-Trainer programmes across the six geopolitical zones.
Other components include needs assessment and gap analysis for Entrepreneurship Development Centres; the Triple Helix Forum on the National Entrepreneurship Framework and Toolkit; and the adoption of the Framework and Toolkit across Nigerian HEIs.
Mr. Emenahor further explained that the toolkit is anchored on the SEPPII Framework – an evidence-based model for developing entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems within higher education institutions. He noted that the framework is built on six interconnected pillars: Strategy, Environment, Pedagogy, Partnerships, Implementation, and Impact.
According to him, the overarching goal is to equip students with the skills, mindset, and platforms required to innovate, create, and lead ventures that contribute to national development, economic growth, and social transformation.
He added that a key strength of the toolkit lies in its practicality, as all resources and templates are designed to be easily accessible, adaptable, and context-specific to Nigerian HEIs. Users, he noted, can navigate the toolkit by pillar and directly access relevant tools and templates needed for implementation.
Mr. Emenahor further outlined expectations from the National Universities Commission (NUC) going forward, including the integration of validation feedback to finalise the framework; dissemination of the toolkit to Nigerian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs); engagement with the Commission on pathways for institutional adoption; commissioning of Master Trainers to support capacity building; and pilot implementation with proper documentation of lessons for scaling.
During the interactive session, the Executive Secretary highlighted key issues requiring attention, including weak university-industry linkages, inadequate infrastructure, and the absence of robust implementation frameworks. He also stressed the need for measurable outcomes to ensure that entrepreneurship initiatives have tangible impact on society.
In a vote of thanks, the NUC Director, Directorate of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship (DSDE), Dr. Esther Mmeka, expressed appreciation to the British Council for the presentation. She informed the delegation that, under the leadership of the Executive Secretary, the Commission has entered into several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with foreign institutions, with active involvement of the Legal Services Division to ensure seamless implementation.
Dr. Mmeka added that the Directorate has recently undertaken initiatives aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice, particularly through the restructuring and reorientation of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).
She further noted that the Directorate, through its University-Industry Linkages Division, is working to ensure that research outputs from Nigerian universities are commercialised. This, she said, is complemented by ongoing engagement with Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs) to assess their level of implementation and identify priority areas for improvement.
Members of the British Council delegation included the Programme Manager, Mr. Tosin Adeoti; Director, Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), Mr. Jude Adejuwon; and Higher Education Project Officer, Ms. Grace Adeosun.
Directors present at the meeting included the Director of Public Affairs (DPA), Mrs. Rita N. Okonjo; Director of Students (DoS), Dr. Chinelo Nwosu; and Acting Director, Executive Secretary’s Office (DESO), Mr. Adewale Bakare.Also in attendance were the Deputy Director, University-Industry Linkages, DSDE, Engr. Suleiman Adebayo; Deputy Director, Legal Services, DESO, Barr. Pascal Eruaga; Acting Head, Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Tanko Mohammed; Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Mr. Shettima Anas; Chief Information Officer, Mr. Okoronkwo Ogbonnaya; as well as other staff of the Directorate of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship and the Directorate of Public Affairs.