PARTNERSHIP, RESEARCH AND CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT SOLUTIONS IN AFRICA (PRAC 4 YUSA)

Lead Research Organisation: University of Lagos
Department Name: ARUA CoE for Unemployment & Skills Dev

Abstract

The policies, strategies and programs introduced to address youth unemployment in Africa (e.g., entrepreneurial skills development, funding young farmers, counseling, investing in accelerators and incubators to support the launch of new businesses) are not working. In sub-Saharan Africa, 64.4 million youth lived in extreme or moderate poverty (less than $3.10 per day) in 2016. Nigeria's youth unemployment rate grew from 11.7% in 2014 to 36.5% in 2018 and youth unemployment rates in Egypt, Kenya and South Africa reached all-time highs in 2017. To design and implement programs that can effectively reduce youth unemployment in Africa, we need to increase the multi-disciplinary research capacity of African university professors, learn from countries that have successfully reduced youth unemployment, engage African youth in the process of identifying the core of the unemployment problem and approaches to solve it, and maintain databases that store and manage large amounts of digital information that is accurate and reliable. The goal of this project is to build significant research capacity across African universities to help reduce youth unemployment in African countries, starting with: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Egypt, Senegal and South Africa.The expected outcomes at the end of three years after project start are: i) One high-performing hub that has the capacity to raise external funds, form partnerships, explore entrepreneurial activities, attract excellent mentors worldwide, and anchor a research network across African universities; ii) 12 doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows and 13 faculty members distributed across African universities who can carry out research in how to reduce youth unemployment in Africa; and iii) Models, local best practices and reliable digital data that can be applied to reduce youth unemployment in Africa. To achieve its objectives, the project will carry out five major initiatives: i) Baseline assessment- establishes existing gaps that necessitate research investment; ii) Networking Events - hosts conferences, workshops and seminars; iii) international placement events to develop the capacity to reduce youth unemployed of all the individuals and organizations that are part of the hub-and-spokes network; iv) Research Labs - trains and mentors young academics from the six African countries to define problems, set objectives and priorities, conduct sound research, and identify solutions to high youth unemployment in Africa as well as work collaboratively; v) Infrastructure and Dissemination- documents and updates models, local best practices and digital databases that can be applied to design and implement policies, strategies and programs to reduce youth unemployment in Africa; and shares the reports produced and the digital data that is used and created by the project with all stakeholders. The project comprised of a team of experts drawn from universities in Five African countries (University of Lagos Nigeria, University of Ghana, University of Cape Town, South Africa, University of Nairobi Kenya, and The America University in Cairo, Egypt), three universities in the United Kingdom (Lancaster University, University of Strathclyde , Coventry University and University of Derby) and 2 in North America (Carleton University, Canada and University of Iowa, USA) The investment required is 600 thousand pounds. The funds will be invested in capacity building and networking (70%), scoping studies (20%) and administrative support (10%). This project responds to the urgent need for a multi-country strategic approach to address high youth unemployment rates in African countries. The project greatly benefits young career academics in different African countries because it provides a platform for them to build their research capacities in one or more of the nine focus areas of the ARUA, USD-CoE and the resources that can be leveraged to form partnerships and explore entrepreneurial opportunities

Planned Impact

The sponsorship and execution of this capacity building project will be extremely beneficial to:
a. PhD Students that the Capacity Building Grant will Train (with full scholarship across the five participating African Countries )
b. Postdoctoral scholars that the grant will support
c. Female gender entrepreneurship and capacity building
d. Faculty members of the 5 participating universities
e. The Hub and the Spoke Institutions (University of Lagos and others)
f. Impact Partners Institutions (Copperbelt University Zambia, Kenyatta University Kenya, Federal Institute for Industrial Research Oshodi Nigeria, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Ghana, National Commission for Science and Technology Malawi, African Women in Science and Engineering Kenya)
g. Foreign UK and North America institutions
h. African youth
i. Government and Policy Makers and Youth Advocacy Organisations
j. UKRI and GCRF
k. ARUA Organisation
l. UN SDGs 2030 Project

For example, the different individuals, group and organisations will benefit from this research when;
i)Early career academics are opportune to receive full PhD sponsorship in an academic mobility program from any of the participating African universities as well as have international exposure from any of the foreign international partners from the three UK universities and two North America Universities that have promised to provide solid support and mentor-ship for this capacity building program;
ii)Postdoctoral students have the opportunity of leveraging mobility among the African Partner Universities to consolidate on their research in any of the 9 research focused areas of the ARUA, USD-CoE;
iii)Faculty members of the 5 African Universities have the benefit of being exposed to pragmatic and applied research that have been undertaken by countries like UK, Canada and United States that have developed solution-based institutions and frameworks in the past to combat youth unemployment. Hub and Spoke Team Leads are sponsored for experiential learning to Lancaster University, University of Strathclyde, Coventry University, Carleton University or/and University of Iowa working with Senior Faculty Members for three months to have international exposure capable of engaging meaningful research that its products can solve the menace of unemployment in Africa;
iv)Particular efforts are geared towards specific research focus on gender entrepreneurship, inclusion and opportunities for the female gender in Africa to realise their potentials given that they are the most hit with youth unemployment in Africa;
v)African youth engage directly in the piloted entrepreneurship and innovation challenge project meant to help them activate their potential and discover the innovative talents they have to combat unemployment
vi)The various universities participating in this project will have improved global ranking and have opportunity to build Faculty members capable of winning international grants in the future and ARUA as an organisation achieves its objective of raising quality financial capability to drive collaborative research in Africa;
vii)Impact Partner institutions have opportunities to mentorship by the ARUA Universities and to send delegates to attend the projects workshops and conferences;
viii)UKRI-GCRF fulfils its mandate and primary objective of impactful developmental programmes for capacity building in science and research, create new projects and assist to build equitable research partnership, innovation and knowledge exchange in both UK and developing countries.
ix)Research outputs from the project enlighten government on the menace of unemployment and drive advocacy that can influence policy makers towards the right direction to resolve youth unemployment; and
x)All research efforts and outcome raise quality people that are positioned to drive all the variables that will ensure the realisation of the SDGs project of UN in Africa by year 2030

Publications

10 25 50
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A. Yinusa, (2022) UNILAG Fablab: A centre for ideation, research, innovation, and development - A framework for connecting town and gown in Journal of African Employment, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development (JAEESD)

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A.K. Daudu, (2022) Fostering rural entrepreneurship: A factor analysis of socio-entrepreneurship variables among rural youth in North-Central Nigeria in Journal of African Employment, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development (JAEESD)

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A.M. Olanrewaju, (2022) Labour market institutions and unemployment in Nigeria in Journal of African Employment, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development (JAEESD)

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Abdalla S (2021) A systematic review of mathematical models of the Ebola virus disease in International Journal of Modelling and Simulation

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Abidemi Adegboye (2022) Innovation and youth employment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Does educational qualitymatter? in Journal of African Employment, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development (JAEESD)

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Adebisi S (2023) Evaluation of the Nigerian Startup Act 2022 in redefining SME growth in Nigeria: The Pros and Cons in Gusau International Journal of Management and Social Sciences

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Adebisi S (2021) THE NIGERIAN INSURANCE INDUSTRY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE: THE ROLE OF INNOVATION CAPABILITY in Facta Universitatis, Series: Economics and Organization

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Adebisi, S.A. (2019) Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy in Survival Strategies and Sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises in a Volatile Environment

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Adebowale Ayobade (2022) Why we defy the law to remain in urban space: Street traders and the struggle for survival in Lagos in Journal of African Employment, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development (JAEESD)

 
Description 1. The PRAC-4-YUSA grant has led to the discovery of a unified challenge that youth unemployment intervention programs of the African Government face over the year in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa through the baseline assessments conducted in the four countries. The interventions programs are usually designed by the policymakers without the input of the youths who are the beneficiaries. The youth end up to seen these interventions programs as Government Programs rather than seeing them as focused youth programs to overcome unemployment. This dislocation and noninvolvement of the beneficiary youths in these intervention programs featured significantly in the countries of study and was one of the major impediments to youth embracing these programs to create desirable impacts.
ii) The Funded project has brought together in a unique way the triple helix actors +Youth (Government, Academia, Industry, and Youth) in several Seminars, Workshops, Conferences, and Focused Group Discussions to debate, identify, analyze and attempt home-grown and sustainable solutions that are all-encompassing to youth-employment in Africa.
iii) This funded project has also ignited huge collaborations among all ARUA Universities in Africa as well as provided mentorship opportunities for other smaller universities to participate in the ARUA,CoE-USD programs with full sponsorship
iv) More than 820 Faculty Members and 450 Doctoral Students and representatives from industry, NGOs, and Government Agencies (with strong attention to Gender Equality) have been trained and benefited from the series of Capacity training, workshops, and Conferences in the year 2020 and 2021 that produced Conference papers by Faculty members and Developmental papers by Doctoral Students.
v) The 5 Doctoral students who have benefited from the PRAC-4-YUSA project have obtained their PhD degrees successfully in 2021 with most of their works supporting youth employment and entrepreneurship orientation that can drive sustainable enterprises for the youth.
vi) Seed funding 19 youths of Africa (in six Teams) from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa who won in the last two editions of the Youth, Business, and Innovation Competition (YoBIC) with GBP10,500 to pursue their innovations and entrepreneurial journey in creating decent jobs.
vii) A Train Train-the-Trainers Capacity Building Programme (3TCBP) Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Education Certification (EIMEC) curriculum has been developed and deployed in Nigeria and Kenya for capacity building of Faculty members of various disciplines to infuse entrepreneurship orientation into their teaching and mentorship of their students.
viii) Embedded Entrepreneurship Experience (EEE) for Directors of Entrepreneurship Education in Nigeria have trained 40 males and 21 females Professors and Entrepreneurship directors from several universities in Nigeria
ix) Doctoral workshops and training to support doctoral students from the partner's universities in Africa on their journeys toward obtaining PhD in their respective disciplines
Exploitation Route i) Continuous Increased Networking Opportunities and Capacity of the ARUA,CoE-USD to Collaborate on Research across Africa and global North Universities to sustain research in the subject of focus
ii) Increased Capacity of Faculty and mentored universities to respond to Funding Opportunities
iii) Increased Productive Collaboration across African Universities in:
-Joint Publications
-Joint Supervisions
-Joint Project and use of funds
-Sabbatical Appointments
-Joint Conference hosting
iv) Collaboration of African Researchers to achieve the Centre's focused SDGs 2030 with increased Capacity of the less research-intensive African Universities being mentored by the Hub
v) Well coordinated and supportive buy-in of Stakeholders for wider societal implementation of the outcomes
vi) Well Exposed Faculty Members & Doctoral Graduates will provide quality contributions in space and to their various universities
Vii) Quality Journal Publications that will allow for continuous discussions research solutions to the menace of youth unemployment in Africa
Viii) Seed-funded Youth Startups Enterprises having opportunities to build capacity that can attract Seria A, B, and C fundings to scale and be globally competitive
ix) Government acceptability of the output of the Centre for implementation in African Countries to accelerate workable solutions to youth unemployment in Africa
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

Communities and Social Services/Policy

Construction

Creative Economy

Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software)

Education

Financial Services

and Management Consultancy

Leisure Activities

including Sports

Recreation and Tourism

Government

Democracy and Justice

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

Retail

Other

URL https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJiJSYNYxCM-TQnkuZJybng
 
Description As part of our desire to empower the African youth, the ARUA, CoE-USD Hub in collaboration with the Spoke (Partner) Universities developed an "Innovation Challenge" named the "Youth Business and Innovation Challenge (YoBIC)," with primary objective of inspiring the youth in Africa to be creative, innovative, and instill in them a positive entrepreneurial mindset. YoBIC is an innovation capacity building program for the African youth of participating countries in the PRAC-4-YUSA Project. This is a cardinal program for the African Youth to secure an opportunity to pitch their designed innovation for a seed fund of £3,000.00 for the overall International Winner, while the 1st and second Runner Up had GBP1500 and GBP750 respectively. The ARUA, CoE-USD launched its maiden edition of Youth Buisness and Innovation Challenge (YoBIC 1.0) in July 2020 in Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria focusing on innovations in Agriculture, Health, Circular economy (i.e., Waste Management, Recycling, etc.), Infrastructure (i.e., Transportation, Construction, etc.), and Financial inclusion (i.e., Fintech, Rural/Gender Financial Inclusion; E-Commerce, etc.). YoBIC 1.0 witnessed the participation of more than 300 youth in Africa forming themselves in Teams of four (maximum) that comprised compulsorily at least a female. The preliminary stages were very competitive at the National Level of each of the countries to select the Country respresentatives for the International competition at the Grand Finale, which took place on Friday, December 04, 2020 at the University of Lagos, Nigeria (https://arua-coe-usd.com/?tribe_events=arua-centre-of-excellence-for-unemployment-and-skills-development-youth-business-and-innovation-challenge-2020-yobic-1-0-lagos-nigeria). The final four Country Representatives were (i) Team Community Watch (Ghana), (ii) Team KCA (Kenya), (iii) Team Greenolt (South Africa), and (iv) Team GodFATHER (Nigeria). Team GodFATHER (Nigeria) won the Seed Fund Award of £3,000.00, while Team Greenolt (South Africa) came second with a Seed Fund Award of £1,500.00, and Team Community Watch (Ghana) came third and received a Seed Fund of £750.00 only. Team KCA (Kenya) only received Business Incubation Training to further support the refining of its business idea for presentation to other interested venture capitalist/ Angel Investors in Kenya. Team GodFATHER (Nigeria) developed an innovative solution that seeks to make insurance simplified, accessible, and reliable to everyone. The solution includes both mobile and web-based application that acts as an insurance intermediary to help users gain seamless access to compatible insurance products, improved claim process, and increased insurance literacy level. Team Greenolt (South Africa), focuses on eliminating plastic waste and leveraging same for employment generation. It is a technology-driven solution (i.e..an app) developed to facilitate the process of collecting PET plastic bottle waste between the waste collectors and the plastic shredders. Team Community Watch (Ghana), seeks to revolutionize security services across Ghana and Africa at large using technology. Community Watch App circulates real-time security and safety information to people based on their location. The App also seeks to connect community members together to share information as a means of finding missing persons, provide alert on security and safety issues within the given vicinity. The three winning Teams (as well as Team Kenya) have been trained (virtually) with the support of the Incubation facilities of the ARUA, CoE-USD/ Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre (ESDC), University of Lagos as well as the Bank of Industry (BOI) sponsored facilitators to support the training of the Teams in Business Model Canvass (BMC) and Design Thinking Approach for a seamless startup. At present, each of the Spoke Centres in Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria is supporting the Business Registration process of each of the Team as well as looking at patenting the innovation inherent in their respective Business ideas for the purpose of intellectual property protection. The beauty of this intervention is that all the members of the winning Teams are final year students in their respective Universities who have vowed to continue with this focused area of innovation and enterprise to build wealth and create future decent jobs for fellow African youth in no distant future. The Award has further produced other YoBIC 2.0 and 3.0 winners who have also been seedfunded. Other Impacts and outcomes Include: -Early Clear Focus on the path to chat for PRAC-4-YUSA -Platform Created for Youth Unemployment discussion -Faculty's Capacity built in Research & Entrepreneurial orientation -Research support structure built for Doctoral Scholars -Better knowledge of ethical conduct on Project Bonding among Partners -Massive Youth interest to collaborate with the CoE -Attraction to Nigeria Govt to replicate EIMEC -Quick completion of PhD degrees by scholars bcos of better understanding of Research Methodology Primary information extracted from the youth -Better understanding of the youth unemployment crises in Africa -Opportunity to evaluate why Govt Interventions are failing -Desk top research Clear Direction on topical issue to address by PRAC-4-YUSA -Salient Misalignment btw the Govt Policies & Youth interest discovered -Attention of the Government attracted -A major research during #ENDSARS protest in Nigeria (Oct 16-20, 2020) Faculty's mobility in Africa -Joint collaboration to hold programs -Strong Platform created for Quatriple helix model (Researchers, Govt, Coys, NGOs -Solution-oriented research -Long-lasting Strong Stakeholders engagement platform created -Government attention to the CoE Message in Nigeria (President prioritises Youth Unemployment in 2021) -Yearly exciting regional Innovation challenge -9 Spinoffs Seedfunded -African youth lightened up with a renewed hope -Decent jobs being created -YoBIC became first source for international traveling opportunities for more than 70% of the participants -Success attracted N100M Incubation Hub to UNILAG -Fortify Ltd one of the Spinoffs becoming 1st digital insurance coy in Nigeria -Publication Platform for research output on Unemployment & Skills Development -Post-Doctoral Training -Training platform for Doctoral Scholars to publish -publication Interest & expression already across the African Border -Solutions materials Platform for Govt & stakeholders working to resolve youth unemployment in Africa ublication Interest & expression already across the African Border -Solutions materials Platform for Govt & stakeholders working to resolve youth unemployment in Africa ublication Interest & expression already across the African Border -Solutions materials Platform for Govt & stakeholders working to resolve youth unemployment in Africa
First Year Of Impact 2020
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Environment,Financial Services, and Management Consultancy,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Retail
Impact Types Societal

Economic

 
Description ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATION MENTORSHIP EDUCATION CERTIFICATION (EIMAC)
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact This is a new intervention program that is designed to equip the Universities Professors of all disciplines in the knowledge of Entrepreneurship and Innovation so as to infuse this into their teachings to positively change the mindset and orientation of the undergraduates towards startups creation in their various disciplines to combat the menace of unemployment in Africa. This is designed to equip the teachers with these special skills for the purpose of the teachers unlocking their potentials for the purpose of their students.
URL https://www.linkedin.com/in/adebisi-sunday-abayomi-98419361/detail/recent-activity/
 
Description Influence on Policy to Create the Nigeria Startup Act 2022
Geographic Reach Africa 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact Today, Startup Act 2022 has been enacted in Nigeria to provide the support structures for startups creation and operations in Nigeria. Nigeria Government, NGOs, Private Sector and Higher Institutions have understood the narrative that can change youth unemployment stories in Nigeria and Africa. This is done by refocusing attention on encouraging the youth to take the pathway of providing commercial and rewarding innovative solutions to societal problems for economic advancement.
URL https://unilag.edu.ng/?p=11014
 
Description Influence on Policy to fcus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation as well as Youth employment in Nigeria
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
Impact https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/647753-economic-recovery-occupier-of-professorial-chair-in-unilag-wants-nigeria-to-prioritise-entrepreneurship.html https://editor.guardian.ng/features/education/don-canvasses-investment-in-entrepreneurship-development/ https://www-vanguardngr-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2023/11/nigerian-youths-paid-5-1bn-to-move-to-uk-in-2022-unilag-don/amp/?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17012284644001&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vanguardngr.com%2F2023%2F11%2Fnigerian-youths-paid-5-1bn-to-move-to-uk-in-2022-unilag-don%2F https://youtube.com/live/MWzj05OU0i8 https://www-vanguardngr-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2023/11/nigerian-youths-paid-5-1bn-to-move-to-uk-in-2022-unilag-don/amp/?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17012284644001&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vanguardngr.com%2F2023%2F11%2Fnigerian-youths-paid-5-1bn-to-move-to-uk-in-2022-unilag-don%2F
URL https://thetochlightafrica.com/dr-adenuga-chair-embrace-everythingprenuership-to-reduce-japaism-don-...
 
Description Influenced the Curriculum Review of Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria University
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact As of today, Entrepreneurship Education as a panacea to resolve youth unemployment crises in Nigeria is given spirited attention by everyone in the University System and the infusion of the entrepreneurship content in the various disciplines in Nigerian Universities has begun.
 
Description President of Federal Republic of Nigeria Focusing on the Youth in January !st 2021 Speech as a Result of our Conference of December 2-4, 2020
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
Impact Immediately after our conference of December 2-4, 2021 titled: "The Deepening Youth Unemployment Crisis in Africa Occasioned by Covid-19 Pandemic: What Options Available for the Rescue?" and featured the Senior Special adviser to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Ease of Doing Business as the Conference Special Guest Speaker, the attitude of the Presidency changed positively towards the youth development project and focus in Nigeria. The president spent about 3 minutes on the issue of youth and entrepreneurship which were our focus in the December 2020 Conference in his new year speech of January 1, 2021.
URL https://youtu.be/r62H6gwiqp0
 
Description Additional funding notification: Research Grant, UKRI Grant Title: Partnership, Research and Capacity-Building for Youth Unemployment Solutions in Africa (PRAC 4 YUSA)
Amount £5,000 (GBP)
Funding ID Grant Ref: ES/T003790/1 
Organisation Economic and Social Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2020 
End 03/2020
 
Description "MINDSET-CHANGE FOR ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ENTREPREEURSHIP" (MADE) PROGRAMME 
Organisation Babcock University
Country Nigeria 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution My Team was invited by the Vice Chancellor of the Babcock University to conduct an Entrepreneurship Mentorship Programe for his Academic Staff in preparation for his University to tow our Centre's footsteps of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Incubation agenda that we have successfully implemented to make our University of Lagos a leader in providing this specialized academic leadership in Nigeria. We trained 150 academic staff in one week's program after which our Centre has continued to mentor Babcock University in its innovation and entrepreneurship agenda The program was then titled: Mindset Academic Development in Entrepreneurship (MADE) which became first of its series to mentor several universities in Nigeria, given that National University Commission has listened to our Centre's clarion call and it has now approved aggressive drive of entrepreneurship education across Nigeria. MADE program is meant to create a last longing impact that will change the mindset of academics, to promote entrepreneurship education among the student populace, that the end result, will lead to campus startups, capable of becoming the future Google, Facebook, Amazon, Andela, Flutterwaves, Avas etc.
Collaborator Contribution This project was fully funded by Babcock University
Impact The MADE program trained 150 Senior Academic staff from more than 40 Departments inclusive of College of Medicine in: i). Understanding the Basics of Entrepreneurship & Innovation for All Disciplines ii). Engaging with Stakeholders in Entrepreneurship Ecosystem I, II & III iii). Understanding the Basics of Design Thinking I&II iv). Pitching Competition After the one week training and workshop, the participants gave birth to 10 innovations that were pitched by the participants at the end of the program.
Start Year 2022
 
Description AIT SWISS - African and Business Innovators Program 
Organisation University of Basel
Country Switzerland 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution University of Basel, Switzerland
Collaborator Contribution Funding of 20 Startups in Africa to pitch for opportunities for booth camping and investment opportunities in Switzerland.
Impact This collaboration is multidisciplinary and multicountry participation. 22 African Startups from Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda have been produced and I will lead them to Switzerland in May 2024 with other colleagues in the network
Start Year 2023
 
Description EVALUATION OF THE INSTITUTE FOR THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNERSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT SKILLS AND LABOUR ASSESSMENTS (INDLELA) 
Organisation Government of South Africa
Country South Africa 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Professor Kesh Govinder is one of the Leads in executing this project for South African Governmemt
Collaborator Contribution Fully funded by our partner
Impact Work in progress
Start Year 2022
 
Description Embedded Entrepreneurship Experience (EEE) for Directors of Entrepreneurship Education in Nigeri 
Organisation National Universities Commission
Country Nigeria 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Training and mentorship to other Directors of Entrepreneurship Development Centres in Nigerian University
Collaborator Contribution Providing opportunities for our Centres to facilitate a Focused group discussion that made us lead the curriculum change in Entrepreneurship in Nigeria
Impact Mentorship to other Universities and Research collaborations
Start Year 2020
 
Description FULBRIGHT IN-COUNTRY ORIENTATION/REVIEW MEETING IN COLLABORATION WITH ARUA-COE,USD - PROCEEDINGS OF A GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP (2020) 
Organisation U.S. Consulate General, Lagos Nigeria
Country Nigeria 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution The ARUA, CoE for Unemployment and Skills Development (ARUA-CoE, USD) collaborated with the US Mission, Lagos (Nigeria) to organize a Grant Writing Workshop for both the academic staff and Post-Graduate students of various faculties in the University of Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday, January 09, 2020. Amidst growing pressure to teach and publish in world class journals, African researchers are also required to compete and win world class sponsored grant awards. Usually, writing winning grants are considered to be herculean tasks but it comes with numerous benefits.
Collaborator Contribution The US Consulate financed the tickets and local transportation of the Fulbright Facilitators to Nigeria and also accommodated them and was also responsible for their honoraria and lunch.
Impact The Notable outcomes: The Grant writing workshop; ? helped researchers to understand that if they have worthwhile projects to undertake, there are funders across the world that are ready to support their research interest ?Led to formation of many research groups after the workshop that are multidisciplinary in nature to begin to harness the grant opportunities as presented by the facilitators ?provided researchers and doctoral students the opportunities to ask pertinent questions relating to expectations of funders and to clearly understand the steps in to writing and winning grants as well as the grants available through the U.S. Mission in Nigeria and world wide. ?offered mentorship opportunity to the doctoral students and junior Faculty members who just picked interest in grant writing and application.
Start Year 2020
 
Description Incubation and Co-Working Space Program 
Organisation Bank of Industry Limited
Country Nigeria 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Facilitating the University to give space for the Bank of Industry to create an Incubation Hub to support enterprise creation and management for our Students and convincing the University to sign a MoU with the BOI on the N200,000,000 soft loan to students interested to create sustainable enterprise that will lead to Job creation
Collaborator Contribution Funding the self-sustaining incubation Centre with N60,000,000 and also providing N200,000,000 loan opportunity for students to express their entrepreneurial intentions without the usual limitation of finance
Impact More than 60 businesses already birthed in the Centre Opportunities for Co-creation working spaces and support for early startups All Disciplines of the university involved in the programs and support from the hub
Start Year 2020
 
Description Innovation to Market 
Organisation UK Aid
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Creating enabling environment for 500 enterprises/startups in Nigeria to realize their dreams to start and scale rapidly through the innovation to Market (I2M) Project
Collaborator Contribution Funding and Supervision through the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund
Impact 50 startups already seedfunded and the project is recently renewed for another one year with 700,000 Dollars
Start Year 2023
 
Description THE AFRICA ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY NETWORK (AFRETEC) 
Organisation Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Country Rwanda 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Given my activities and role as the Director of the ARUA CoE for Unemployment and Skills Development, I was appointed a Co-Lead of the Entrepreneurship Pillar
Collaborator Contribution Organising workshops, and conferences and providing all funds for all the AFRETEC Network activities
Impact I co-led the design of the strategic plan for the Entrepreneurship Pillar as well as led my students from the University of Lagos to participate in the Students Entrepreneurship challenge that brought undergraduates from 15 universities in Africa together to participate in providing solutions to the SDGs challenges
Start Year 2022
 
Description Train-the-trainer Capacity Building Program Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Certification Program (3T-CBP, EIMAC)) 
Organisation Bank of Industry Limited
Country Nigeria 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution 1.0 ?Developing curriculum and setting up interesting entrepreneurship education programs for developing various disciplines taught at the Universities (e.g. Education, Law, Medicine, Business Administration, Engineering, Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Science, Pharmacy, Architecture etc) into innovative ideas that can birth profitable business ventures; 2.0 Designing and creating the Train-The-Trainer Program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Education Certification (EIMAC) for the Faculty Members from different disciplines that participated to assist African Universities achieve their objective of creating a sustainable and impactful entrepreneurship oriented programmes that can lead to Job creation in Africa. 3.0 Identifying the training Needs and attract business owners, professionals, executives in the industries, decision makers, corporations executives as facilitators for the selected 42 professors and 4 Doctoral students to address the challenges of inadequate personnel to support the quality teaching and training of Entrepreneurship and Skills Development programmes that has the capacity of building students (graduate, undergraduate), that will become the engine and driver of campus start-ups and job creation in Nigeria and Africa. 4.0 Organising and facilitating the smooth implementation of the 10-day intensive training as well as coordinating all activities home and abroad to ensure successful TTT
Collaborator Contribution Contributed NGN5,000,000 to fly and accommodate the International Expert Trainer from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurship Centre, University of Iowa, United States as well as funding the Workshop Tea-Break and Lunch for 10 days
Impact ?Gain useful insights in how to set up student competitions on entrepreneurship programme that will be hinged on discovering viable business ideas that can be birth and scaled-up to end unemployment in Nigeria; ?Participants were able to acquire the knowledge and skills of setting up an entrepreneurship acceleration program where potential start-ups are identified and supported during incubation until a fully developed start-up; ?Acquisition of knowledge and technical "know how" to advance Entrepreneurial Education Services that can contribute significantly to the real sector economic development in Nigeria and Africa ?Production of 46 on-the-ground mentors in all Faculties to support the students on innovation and project ideas at the early stage to assist as the enablers of bright ideas that can lead to birth of innovation enterprises across all disciplines. ?Capacity to empower students with entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance to fight poverty and unemployment in Nigeria through sustainable in-house mentorship abilities of Faculty members. ?Participants acquired the skills that will bridge the knowledge gap between theory and practice about entrepreneurship and business development in Nigeria and Africa through integrative collaboration among various disciplines; ?Participants acquired methods to encourage entrepreneurship innovation and design thinking capable of igniting the best collaborative research that can help discover the hidden treasures of Faculty members and University students (Undergraduates and Postgraduates).
Start Year 2020
 
Description Train-the-trainer Capacity Building Program Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Certification Program (3T-CBP, EIMAC)) 
Organisation Instant Waves Media GmbH
Country Germany 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution 1.0 ?Developing curriculum and setting up interesting entrepreneurship education programs for developing various disciplines taught at the Universities (e.g. Education, Law, Medicine, Business Administration, Engineering, Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Science, Pharmacy, Architecture etc) into innovative ideas that can birth profitable business ventures; 2.0 Designing and creating the Train-The-Trainer Program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Education Certification (EIMAC) for the Faculty Members from different disciplines that participated to assist African Universities achieve their objective of creating a sustainable and impactful entrepreneurship oriented programmes that can lead to Job creation in Africa. 3.0 Identifying the training Needs and attract business owners, professionals, executives in the industries, decision makers, corporations executives as facilitators for the selected 42 professors and 4 Doctoral students to address the challenges of inadequate personnel to support the quality teaching and training of Entrepreneurship and Skills Development programmes that has the capacity of building students (graduate, undergraduate), that will become the engine and driver of campus start-ups and job creation in Nigeria and Africa. 4.0 Organising and facilitating the smooth implementation of the 10-day intensive training as well as coordinating all activities home and abroad to ensure successful TTT
Collaborator Contribution Contributed NGN5,000,000 to fly and accommodate the International Expert Trainer from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurship Centre, University of Iowa, United States as well as funding the Workshop Tea-Break and Lunch for 10 days
Impact ?Gain useful insights in how to set up student competitions on entrepreneurship programme that will be hinged on discovering viable business ideas that can be birth and scaled-up to end unemployment in Nigeria; ?Participants were able to acquire the knowledge and skills of setting up an entrepreneurship acceleration program where potential start-ups are identified and supported during incubation until a fully developed start-up; ?Acquisition of knowledge and technical "know how" to advance Entrepreneurial Education Services that can contribute significantly to the real sector economic development in Nigeria and Africa ?Production of 46 on-the-ground mentors in all Faculties to support the students on innovation and project ideas at the early stage to assist as the enablers of bright ideas that can lead to birth of innovation enterprises across all disciplines. ?Capacity to empower students with entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance to fight poverty and unemployment in Nigeria through sustainable in-house mentorship abilities of Faculty members. ?Participants acquired the skills that will bridge the knowledge gap between theory and practice about entrepreneurship and business development in Nigeria and Africa through integrative collaboration among various disciplines; ?Participants acquired methods to encourage entrepreneurship innovation and design thinking capable of igniting the best collaborative research that can help discover the hidden treasures of Faculty members and University students (Undergraduates and Postgraduates).
Start Year 2020
 
Description Train-the-trainer Capacity Building Program Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Certification Program (3T-CBP, EIMAC)) 
Organisation Platform Capital
Country Nigeria 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution 1.0 ?Developing curriculum and setting up interesting entrepreneurship education programs for developing various disciplines taught at the Universities (e.g. Education, Law, Medicine, Business Administration, Engineering, Sciences, Humanities, Arts, Natural Sciences, Social Science, Pharmacy, Architecture etc) into innovative ideas that can birth profitable business ventures; 2.0 Designing and creating the Train-The-Trainer Program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Education Certification (EIMAC) for the Faculty Members from different disciplines that participated to assist African Universities achieve their objective of creating a sustainable and impactful entrepreneurship oriented programmes that can lead to Job creation in Africa. 3.0 Identifying the training Needs and attract business owners, professionals, executives in the industries, decision makers, corporations executives as facilitators for the selected 42 professors and 4 Doctoral students to address the challenges of inadequate personnel to support the quality teaching and training of Entrepreneurship and Skills Development programmes that has the capacity of building students (graduate, undergraduate), that will become the engine and driver of campus start-ups and job creation in Nigeria and Africa. 4.0 Organising and facilitating the smooth implementation of the 10-day intensive training as well as coordinating all activities home and abroad to ensure successful TTT
Collaborator Contribution Contributed NGN5,000,000 to fly and accommodate the International Expert Trainer from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurship Centre, University of Iowa, United States as well as funding the Workshop Tea-Break and Lunch for 10 days
Impact ?Gain useful insights in how to set up student competitions on entrepreneurship programme that will be hinged on discovering viable business ideas that can be birth and scaled-up to end unemployment in Nigeria; ?Participants were able to acquire the knowledge and skills of setting up an entrepreneurship acceleration program where potential start-ups are identified and supported during incubation until a fully developed start-up; ?Acquisition of knowledge and technical "know how" to advance Entrepreneurial Education Services that can contribute significantly to the real sector economic development in Nigeria and Africa ?Production of 46 on-the-ground mentors in all Faculties to support the students on innovation and project ideas at the early stage to assist as the enablers of bright ideas that can lead to birth of innovation enterprises across all disciplines. ?Capacity to empower students with entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance to fight poverty and unemployment in Nigeria through sustainable in-house mentorship abilities of Faculty members. ?Participants acquired the skills that will bridge the knowledge gap between theory and practice about entrepreneurship and business development in Nigeria and Africa through integrative collaboration among various disciplines; ?Participants acquired methods to encourage entrepreneurship innovation and design thinking capable of igniting the best collaborative research that can help discover the hidden treasures of Faculty members and University students (Undergraduates and Postgraduates).
Start Year 2020
 
Description Transnational Entrepreneurship Program 
Organisation University of Iowa
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Selecting 15 best students interested in Innovation and Entrepreneurship to collaborate with their counterparts in the Johnpapa JohnEntrepreneuship Centre of the University of Iowa to co create innovations and Enterprise together.
Collaborator Contribution Training and mentoring the students for 13 weeks to be able to create projects that are convertible to enterprises
Impact Students of Business and Economics are the ones involved International exposure and networking opportunities with the Global North
Start Year 2020
 
Company Name Acceede 
Description Acceede simplifies school fees payment through digital payment via mobile app. Acceede lowers the barrier and improves access to quality education by using a buy now pay later model to finance the cost of quality education at 10% interest rate. 40% of parents will change their child's school to a more quality school if they could pay monthly. 
Year Established 2022 
Impact MVP and in the process of Serial A investment
Website https://acceede.com/
 
Company Name BS Building Blocks 
Description Bs Building Blocks is a company that gathers plastic wastes from the environment and use them as raw materials or binding agent in addition to sand and other components in making sustainable pavement blocks and tiles 
Year Established 2022 
Impact The Company was registered after winning 3rd position in YoBIC and went ahead to win the @nd edition of the Ghana Youth Camp to further push forward its Waste to Wealth Agenda
Website https://citinewsroom.com/2022/01/bs-building-blocks-wins-ghana-youth-camp-business-pitch/
 
Company Name Community Watch (Fihankra ComTech Limited) 
Description Fihankra ComTech Limited is a company that develops personal security and safety innovations, products, services and training for people taking into consideration the differences and challenges faced within each area 
Year Established 2021 
Impact Specialty in Personal safety, Emergency Health Training, Emergency Mental Health Training, Security Seminars, Tourist Safety, and Panic Alerts
Website http://www.fihankrallc.com
 
Company Name Team Greenolt South Africa 
Description GreenoIt is a sustainability organization which transforms plastic waste into usable everyday items. Its aim is to tackle global challenges whilst using innovative solutions in solving the global warming crisis. GreenoIt is a net zero company aimed at providing the end-of life solution for the PET bottle. The company facilitates communication between collectors and recyclers and uses the plastic waste collected to make 3D printed products from recycled PET bottles. The PET-made filament, which is the raw material for a 3D printer is then used to make portable everyday household items made from plastic and composition of other materials which would be sold at a profit at our GreenoIt shop. This will happen through tackling the global plastic pollution problem as well as provision of employment opportunities to the unemployed youth across Africa 
Year Established 2021 
Impact Pilot Project concluded on the feasibility of the enterprise intention
 
Company Name RAYTREAT TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED 
Description Health Technology Starup that provides Affordable Phototherapy Devices for Public and Private Hospitals. High Cost of Medical Devices to provide solution to decaying infrastructure due to Nigeria's dependence on other countries for medical facilities'. This device is designed to solve the problems of High infant Mortality Rate of which Nigeria is ranked 2nd Highest country in the world for Infant Mortality due to the fact that 6 in 10 Babies are born with jaundice and will need to receive quick receive treatment 
Year Established 2021 
Impact Producing affordable Medical Devices for Underprivileged communities
Website https://www.linkedin.com/company/raytreatmedtech
 
Company Name TAWI Health 
Description Remotely connecting patients to Doctors with quality, affordable and timely treatment Our solution reduces the burden of Non-communicable diseases that has led to comorbidity ,disabilty in some cases and loss of loved ones .We also do public health surveillance that can help predict and prevent pandemics ,endemics and other calamities . This helps prevent occurences such as COVID 19. We also work with community health volunteers who previously are not renumerated to offer these services to the last mile thereby increasing Universal health coverage .We also provide employment to medical practitioners , doctors ,pharmacists , ambulnce service providers and delivery of drugs and medicine .Now scale that to a national , continental and global level. THe end result is a healthier happier , resilient nation that can withstand any public health challenges .We will reduce household and national expenditure in healthcare that can be used for other economic productivity .Reduced downtime due to illness and health resilience 
Year Established 2022 
Impact TAWI App Completed We have completed a soft launch using our website . We built the first prototype .We are constantly taking feedback from users in hospital .Currently we have 190 users testing the platform in a private beta testing program. We have validated our solution in various startup events .Winning the Techtsars Global 2021 , USIU Innovation award 2022 and Africa Basque ChallengeWe have completed a soft launch using our website . We built the first prototype .We are constantly taking feedback from users in hospital .Currently we have 190 users testing the platform in a private beta testing program. We have validated our solution in various startup events .Winning the Techtsars Global 2021 , USIU Innovation award 2022 and Africa Basque Challenge
Website https://tawihealth.com/
 
Company Name AgroPristine (ASPR) 
Description Team AgroPristine ASPR is a youth-sensitive approach, creating jobs through modernizing the agri-food value chain to effectively reduce post harvest losses to 1-2% using scientific intervention before, during, and after harvesting whilst utilizing the youth as primary vehicles of innovation and change. 
Year Established 2021 
Impact -The Automatic Solar-powered refrigeration system, built for the suitable Sub-Saharan climate. -SOLAR POWER ASSISTED TRANSPORT REFRIGERATION SYSTEM Solar Panel on the roof of the vehicl
 
Description 1st ARUA, CoE-USD International Conference, Lagos, 2020: The Deepening Youth Unemployment Crisis in Africa Occasioned by Covid-19 Pandemic: What Options Available for the Rescue? 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact The ARUA CoE-USD executed this program as one of its commitment to Annual International Conference for the purpose of promoting Research into methods and techniques that examine the worsening issues of youth unemployment in Africa in order to engender workable and sustainable solutions that can address this menace among scholars, professional, government, youth themselves and other stakeholders. https://youtu.be/Q6ji5mOm6G; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsF8bGYZn9Q
https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=3716
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://youtu.be/NSQVhuQXmK4
 
Description A TWO-DAY PRAC-4-YUSA GRANT INAUGURAL AND FRAMING WORKSHOP ("Youth Unemployment Crisis in Africa and the Search for Research and Entrepreneurially Motivated Innovative Solutions" -Closed Session, University of Lagos, Nigeria) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact This was an inaugural workshop to launch the ARUA-UKRI Partnership, Research and Capacity-Building for Youth Unemployment Solutions in Africa (PRAC-4-YUSA) Grant for the benefit of framing the deliverables and understanding what is expected from the Hub and spokes relationship that underscore the grant. 29 Faculty Members comprising of all the members countries as well as selected Doctoral students in University of Lagos participated to discuss the 5 Key Initiatives of the Project: Base-line Assessment; Networking Events'; International Placement Events; Research Lab and Infrastructure and Dissemination. This led the participants from the various regions of Africa (East, South and West) to acknowledge and praise ARUA-UKRI GCRF for awarding this partnership and capacity building grants to the ARUA, CoE-USD. They all agreed that the fund will in no measure assist development of Faculty members as well as the Doctoral students in creating the research pathways for resolving the huge unemployment menace in Africa.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://arua-usd-coe.com/
 
Description ARUA, CoE-USD #ENDSARs Research Project: Nigerian Youth Employment Lives Matter for a Sustainable Africa for Now and the Future 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This was an interview conducted during the #ENDSARS protest in Nigeria when the youth invaded the country on the issue of Youth neglect in Nigeria
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://twitter.com/yommysun/status/1317179651605880839
 
Description ARUA, CoE-USD Doctoral Workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Doctoral students in the Research Network were brought together to learn statistical techniques relevant to their areas of study and given opportunities to present their development papers before their peers and expert Faculty members.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=2892
 
Description ARUA, CoE-USD Webinar Series for International Youth Day (IYD' 2020): Leveraging SDG #8 to achieve Youth Engagement for Global Actions: How is African Youths Faring? 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact This webinar series was organised to celebrate the International youth day 2020. It afforded the Centre to look into the SDGs implementation in Africa as to how they will support the aspirations of the youth to end unemployment and create a better life for them. Experts were pooled from accross the world to address this topic: Leveraging SDG #8 to achieve Youth Engagement for Global Actions: How is African Youths Faring?
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=3318
 
Description ARUA, CoE-USD Webinar Series for the World Skills Youth Day (WYSD'2020): Resilient African Youths and Tomorrow's World of Work: What Employability and Entrepreneurial Skills will be Required 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact ARUA,CoE-USD was poised to promote virtual entrepreneurship orientation and mentorship programs across Africa which was inspired by the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was specifically organized to celebrate the international world youth skills day 2020 Experts were invited accross the triple-helix (Education, Industry and Government) as well as NGOs to discuss the topic of the moment: Resilient African Youths and Tomorrow's World of Work: What Employability and Entrepreneurial Skills will be Required. This was a global program that had many youth of Africa and the global North connected virtually to understand this topical issue (https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=3742)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn6MBB19RP0&t=490s
 
Description Dr Mike Adenuga (Jnr) 1st Special Annual Public Lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact 1st Special Annual Lecture delivered by me as the 1st Occupier Professor of the Dr. Mike Adenuga Professorial Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies to address the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Policy Makers, Politicians and the International communities on the Topic: Revolutionizing the Nigerian Economy to Create Decent Jobs and Sustainable Wealth: The Sole Ladder, the Sole Option and the Sole Platform.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://unilag.edu.ng/?p=30470
 
Description Entrepreneurship Innovation Mentorship Education Certification (EIMEC) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact The reason for the creation of the Train-The-Trainer Program in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Mentorship Education Certification (EIMEC) for the various Faculty Members that will be involved in assisting the University achieve its objective of creating a sustainable and impactful entrepreneurship oriented University in Nigeria and Africa included
? Inadequate personnel to support the University of Lagos Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre to achieve the entrepreneurial capacity building of students (graduate, undergraduate), business owners, professionals, executives in the industries, decision makers, corporations and to be the engine and driver of entrepreneurship orientation in Nigeria and Africa.

? The Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre of the University is pretty young where many Faculty members have had no formal training on entrepreneurship education and lack the necessary
? knowledge and technical "know how" to advance in Entrepreneurial Education Services that can contribute significantly to the real sector economic development in Nigeria.

? The need to have on-the-ground mentors in all Faculties to support the students on innovation and project ideas at the early stage to assist as the enablers of bright ideas that can lead to birth of innovation enterprises across all disciplines.
Participants were selected from each Faculty in the University through a very rigorous selection process that will be extremely competitive. Those with some basic knowledge on entrepreneurship education and can learn within a short time productively and also highly motivated to attend the course were given priority. Gender configuration was given attention and participants signed 2-WEEK TOTAL COMMITMENT FORM and a 2-week Training-Week leave processed and obtained for participants by the ESDC to ensure 100% participation and concentration.
Participants were made to undertake all the evaluation and assessments as provided in the EIMEC program before Certificate can be issued.
1.4 Expected Project Impacts and Outcomes
? Setting up interesting entrepreneurship education programs for developing various disciplines taught at the University (i.e Education, Law, Medicine, Business Administration, Engineering, Sciences, Humanities, Arts etc) into innovative ideas that can birth profitable business ventures;
? Gain useful insights in how to set up student competitions on entrepreneurship programme that will be hinged on discovering viable business ideas that can be birth and scaled-up to end unemployment in Nigeria;
? Setting up an entrepreneurship acceleration program where potential start-ups are identified and supported during incubation until a fully developed start-up;
? Capacity to empower students with entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance to fight poverty and unemployment in Nigeria through sustainable in-house mentorship abilities of Faculty members.
? Help bridge the knowledge gap between theory and practice about entrepreneurship and business development in Nigeria through integrative collaboration among various disciplines;
? Methods to encourage entrepreneurship innovation and design thinking capable of igniting the best collaborative research that can help discover the hidden treasures of Faculty members and University students (Undergraduates and Postgraduates).
Duration was 120 hours divided into: 96 contact hours and 24 hours remote learning and Team Work. This ordinarily should span through 16 (Saturdays) weeks (i.e. 4 months) but were compressed into Two-week intensive program (comprising of 8 hours contact hours and 3 hours remote learning and Team Work every day; Monday to Saturday)
Facilitators comprised of seasoned academic who are professionals in the knowledge of entrepreneurship and Innovation home and abroad; blended with the mixture of astute successful entrepreneurs and innovation enablers as well as venture capitalists in Nigeria and our partners abroad who are well experienced in entrepreneurship education and practice.
https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=2892
https://twitter.com/yommysun/status/1236460227941236736
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=2892
 
Description Entrepreneurship and Innovation Summit 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact 120 Students from 19 African Countries gather together in Kigali at Carnegie Mellon University for 5 days Entrepreneurship and Innovation training as well as Pitching competition to solve the African problem of Fintech, Climate Change, E-Commerce and Agritech
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.africa.engineering.cmu.edu/events/conferences/innovation-summit-2024.html
 
Description Green Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Industrialisation in Africa 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This presentation was made during the Half-Day Workshop organised during the 3rd day of the ARUA Bienniel International Conference at the University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya between November 18 - 20, 2019. The primary objective of this presentation was to examine the opportunities available for young African in the green entrepreneurship space and the potentials of youth entrepreneurship to drive sustainable industrialisation in Africa.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description INTERNATIONAL (PRAC-4-YUSA) HALF-DAY WORKSHOP THEME: "YOUTH EMPLOYMENT CRISIS AND THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION: HOW PREPARED IS AFRICA?" (Nairobi, Kenya) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Study participants or study members
Results and Impact This became the second among the series of Workshops to be organized by the ARUA Centre of Excellence for Unemployment and Skills Development (ARUA, CoE-USD) under the "Partnership, Research, and Capacity-Building for Youth Unemployment Solutions in Africa (PRAC 4 YUSA) Grant (ES/T003790/1) after the inaugural framing workshop. During the ARUA Biennial Conference, the ARUA-CoE, USD participated actively and sponsored selected doctoral students and early career researchers from across three universities in Africa - the University of Lagos (Nigeria), the University of Ghana (Ghana), and the University of Cape Town (South Africa). the half-day workshop had 69 people in attendance spanning across different nationals in the world with ver robust discussions on topics that addressed "Youth Employment Crisis and the 4th Industrial
Revolution: How Prepared is Africa?" Seven working papers were presented with a two guest speakers doing justice to the crux of the workshop.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL http://arua.org.za/category/news/
 
Description Labour Market Entry and Graduate Employability Skills of the Future in the 4th Industrial Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Unemployment and economic conditions are a major determinant of mode of labour market entry. Most graduates are at least aged 20 years, which qualifies them as youths. Although the United Nations (n-d.) considers youths to be aged between 15-24, it recognises youth in broader terms as " a person between the ages of leaving compulsory education, and finding their first job " Youth unemployment is a major global challenge. Global youth unemployment rate of 13 percent shows that young people are vulnerable to unemployment (ILO, 2018). In Sub-Saharan Africa, 20 percent of youth in urban centres comprising those with secondary and post-secondary education are unemployed (Fox, Simbanegavi & Senbet, 2016). Nigeria has a population of about 198 million people, 19.61 percent of which are youths (Index Mundi, 2018; National Population Commission, 2018). As at 2017, 13.41 percent of these youths were unemployed (Statista, 2018).

The release of graduates lacking in requisite skills for the labour market contributes to unemployment and underemployment (Abas & Imam, 2016). Generally, for a graduate to be considered employable in the view of employers, the individual must possess transferable skills relating to: team-working, communication, leadership, critical thinking, problem solving and managerial abilities, knowledge of the business, self-management, literacy and numeracy relevant to the post, ICT knowledge, good interpersonal and communication skills, ability to use own initiative but also to follow instructions, leadership skills where necessary (Lowden, Hall, Elliot & Lewin, 2011:12). This suggests that entrepreneurial skills are necessary for employability. Nonetheless, Suleman (2016) argued that there is little agreement on the skills that determine graduate employability.

The principal asset for youths entering into the labour market is education. Young people are confronted by institutional and economic context as well as education and training systems in their quest for labour market entry (Gangl, 2000). Other factors that affect labour market entry include: socio-demographic characteristics and vocational specificity (Karamessini, Papazachariou, Parsanoglou & Stamatopoulou, 2015:5, 6). The skills most connected to employee performance relate to thinking and problem solving (Abas & Imam, 2016). Thus, the ability of a youth to think critically and solve problems is necessary for gainful engagement after graduation. Africa is plagued by numerous problems, and only those who are armed with these skills can fully take advantage of opportunities that abound. Abas & Imam (2016) suggested that higher education institutions (HEIs) can contribute to graduate employability by encouraging application of these skills before they graduate. Therefore, must seek innovative ways to engage their students to acquire and apply the skills. Suleman (2016) also noted the pivotal role of higher education institutions in bridging the skill gap.


The fourth industrial revolution is about new technologies, powers and responsibilities (Aikman, 2017:9). It is characterised by a blend of knowledge across disciplines. That is, radical and quick development of technologies which is transforming the productivity of societies through major technological disruptions wigh digitalisation; digital age with internet of things, or industrial internet; innovation based on combinations; emergence of disruptive new combinations between technology and the market; self-organization and self-actualization; super disruptive innovation; new industrial revolution with IOT, big data, AI, and block chain (Lee, Yun, Pyka, Won, Kodama, Schiuma, Park, Jeon, Park, Jung, Yan, Lee, & Zhao, 2018:3; Schwab, 2017:1).

This preliminary study utilised data from structured interviews conducted among 25 randomly selected among final year students from 5 faculties at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. The data was analysed using simple percentages and content analysis. The findings revealed that students from faculties of engineering and social sciences expressed the most and the least intentions to start their own businesses after graduation respectively. A majority of the respondents from faculties of engineering and social sciences indicated that they possessed critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Also, communication skills was common to respondents from engineering and law. All respondents from faculties of engineering, education and science expressed that they know about internet of things. Furthermore, over half of the respondents from the faculties of education and science indicated that they know about robotics; while social sciences knew the least about robotics. In addition, all the students from engineering had an idea about virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The most common knowledge about the fourth industrial revolution relates to the internet of things. It is therefore suggested that educators and educational institutions should bridge the skill gaps observed to stay relevant in the fourth industrial revolution; entrepreneurs should see opportunities presented by the fourth industrial revolution by utilising the tools of the fourth industrial revolution that are most commonly known to potential customers/users; Government should see potential areas of investment in the education system to set the sector on a real path of progress and development.


Keywords: Employment opportunities, Fourth Industrial Revolution, Graduate Employability Skills, Labour Market Entry
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Leveraging the Elements of 4th Industrial Revolution for the Empowerment of African Youth 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact This presentation was one of its kind made during the Half-Day Workshop organised during the 3rd day of the ARUA Bienniel International Conference at the University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya between November 18 - 20, 2019. The intended purpose was to teach the youth in West Africa to leverage on the elements of 4th industrial revolution in boosting their entrepreneurial skills.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Nigerian Youth Employment Lives Matter for a Sustainable Africa for Now and the Future: 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Write-workshop for the Baseline Assesment Project for the PRAC-4-YUSA Grant
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=3732
 
Description Supporting Graduate Employment through Entrepreneurship Education (9-10 October 2019, Ghana) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact This was a Think-Tank programme of International Centre for Transformational Entrepreneurship ICTE (African Institute for Transformational Entrepreneuship) of Coventry University attended by over 200 participants and about 18 experts to discuss the modalities and strategies that will be required in Supporting Graduate Employment through Entrepreneurship Education in Africa. I was invited as an awardee of the ARUA-UKRI grant that is focused on building partnership and research capacity in that will assist in providing solutions to Youth unemployment in Africa and the need to present my thoughts on how entrepreneurship can help to achieve this. the discussions were very robust and engendered massive interest into the work being done in the ARUA CoE for Unemployment and Skills development, thereby leading to forming new alliances with other non-ARUA universities that attended the workshop in Ghana.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://twitter.com/lbiglou?lang=en
 
Description TECHWOMEN NIG ALUMNI 1ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN COLLABORATION WITH US CONSULATE, LAGOS & ESDC, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS THEME: ADVANCING THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP OF NIGERIAN WOMEN IN STEM 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact This was a one day conference and workshop organised in conjunction with our ARUA CoE for Unemployment and Skills Development that had 280 participants including her Excellency, the Consul General- US Consulate, Lagos. It was organised in alliance with our Centre to support the female undergraduates as well as the female postgraduates and their teachers on empowering women in technology that will engender women inclusion in the tech industry. Focus was on promoting STEM along the side of Tech Startups, Techpreneurship and Tech Social Entrepreneurship which was the focus of the Director of the Centre speak on in the workshop
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012,2019
URL https://newsverge.com/2019/12/18/2019-techwomen-nigeria-alumni-conference-holds-in-lagos/
 
Description The Africa House Launch Event (African Business Incubation Workshop, Silicon Valley, San-Francisco, California, USA) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact This was the official opening of the Africa House in Silicon Valley attended by about 114 people and designed to help young African start-ups to establish their companies and also access new markets in the United States to achieve new levels of performance. I was invited as a holder of the ARUA-UKRI Grant that is working towards engendering the partnership and capacity building that is tailored towards Youth Unemployment Solution in Africa. It was an opportunities to address the investors, venture capitalists, African Startups Entrepreneurs and learn from University students who already have businesses of their own and were ready to integrate with viable partners in Africa for possibility of job and value creation. New alliances that can lead to valuable projects to support programmes that can create jobs were formed in the event


We will present well-qualified startups from around the world that you would otherwise never know about. We substantially reduce the risk of startup failures because of poor
business practices, we turn startups into businesses
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://whitespacex.com
 
Description World Bank Group Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact 25 Professors from across selected Universities in Nigeria were invited by the World Bank Group, Nigeria for the purpose of having a focused group discussion on the desire of the Federal Government of Nigeria to lift 100 million people out of poverty by the year 2030. This sparked three questions: how can investment in human capital foster lifting 100 million people out of poverty?; How can empowerment in women and girls foster the lifting of 100 million people out of poverty in Nigeria?; and will the expansion of the digital economy make any difference?
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Young Coders' Application Development (YCAD) scheme 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact This is an entirely free notion put in place for girls at the secondary school level, aged 10-16. This is in form of a series of two-hour weekend classes which span over 12 weeks teaching them either android app development or web development, based on their choice. At the end of the premier session, the girls had to come up with projects to display their knowledge during 'defence day'. The defence day was mind-blowing and showed how the program affected the young girls. Parents witnessed the project showcase of their wards and you can tell from their expressions and lifted spirits how the program affected them. There's more information on the program at www.ycad.tech. This project, although very new have attracted great publicity especially to the local mass media groups within the university community. I believe that they still have the enormous potential to grow and am committed to see this through with my team, it is something I will always be pleased to spear-head.The median edition happened in 2018 and 2019 saw another mile stone of the program.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL http://www.ycad.tech
 
Description Youth Business and Innovation Competition (YoBIC) International Competition, Lagos, 2020 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact As part of our Youth development programs in ARUA, CoE-USD, Day-3 of our 2021 international Conference Program has been fully dedicated to our cardinal program for the African Youth to secure an opportunity to pitch their designed innovation for seed-fund. The International Finals shall happen in Cape-Town South Africa, on July 30, 2021
YoBIC is an innovation capacity building program for the African youth of participating countries in the PRAC-4-YUSA Project, to compete for the Business Seed-fund of GBP3,000; GBP1500 & GBP750 through winning a business and innovation competition challenge that focuses on solving African problems. Solutions are expected from the following Five (5) areas of focus; Agriculture, Health, Circular Economy (i.e. Waste Management, Recycling etc), Infrastructure (i.e. Transportation, Construction etc) and Financial Inclusion (i.e. Fintech, Rural / Gender Financial Inclusion, E-Commerce etc)
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://arua-coe-usd.com/?page_id=3742