VP Shettima go launch first varsity pods for Nigeria, wey go dey UNILAG
UNIPOD wey be initiative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) join hand wit Nigeria to change development system wey go to turn universities into centres of innovation and business creation.
Nigeria Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, go on Tuesday, April 7, do di official flag off of di first University Innovation Pods (UNIPOD) for Nigeria for University of Lagos.
UNIPOD, wey be initiative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) join hand wit Federal Government of Nigeria, want to change Nigeria development system to turn universities into centres of innovation and business creation, among oda goals.
Di Deputy Chief of Staff to di President, Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, wey talk dis one on Wednesday during news conference for Abuja, say di UNIPOD initiative “show say Federal Government really want to reposition our universities as drivers of economic growth, innovation, and enterprise development, to fix di gap between formal education and wetin labour market need.”
“Di UniPods na to fix dis problem by providing structured platforms inside our universities where ideas fit grow, test, get funding, and turn into real businesses wey fit help society and economy,” e add.
For di benefits of di programme, Senator Hadejia say di initiative “no be just infrastructure project but na deliberate step to build one coherent national innovation system — one wey go connect talent, research, industry, and investment for better way.”
Di Deputy Chief of Staff also note say di rollout go start wit University of Lagos Artificial Intelligence Pod, and odda UniPods go follow for Abia, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Benue, and Borno States.
For di implementation model, Sen. Hadejia say di interventions under di programme dey central to government efforts to use di potential of Nigeria youth population by planting innovation and enterprise inside university environment, where students and researchers go get access to skills, tools, mentorship, and financing wey dem need to develop practical solutions and build businesses wey fit grow.
For her own part, di UNDP Nigeria Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, tok say Nigeria be di first country for Africa to take di UniPods model go scale through direct government investment.
According to her, di planned flag-off go put Nigeria as continental leader for building knowledge-driven economy.