Dr. Abiodun Egbetokun of De Montfort University
Experts at a high-level workshop at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, have called on Nigerian policymakers to make entrepreneurship education more practical, arguing it could transform job seekers into job creators. The workshop, titled “Entrepreneurship Education Policy in Nigeria: How Far, How Well, What Next?”, was organised jointly by OAU’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies (IFEDS), the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), and De Montfort University, UK, with support from The British Academy.
The event, held amid Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate exceeding 40 per cent, brought together academics, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to discuss reforms. Key recommendations included curriculum overhauls integrating internships, industry partnerships, and targeted financing, alongside monitoring and evaluation of graduates’ entrepreneurial outcomes.
Professor Rafiu Salawu, OAU’s Dean of Administration, stressed that aligning entrepreneurship education with Nigeria’s digital transformation and UN Sustainable Development Goals is essential. “We must become job creators, not just knowledge containers,” he said.
Research by Dr Abiodun Egbetokun at De Montfort University highlighted a gap between students’ entrepreneurial interest and actual practice, urging consistent financing, mentorship, and skills development. Practical sessions emphasised problem-solving, creative thinking, and market validation as critical to turning ideas into viable ventures.
Panel discussions identified structural barriers, including theoretical-heavy curricula, inadequate faculty training, and limited industry linkages, calling for stakeholder engagement and infrastructure to foster hands-on entrepreneurial learning.
