As part of proactive measures aimed at tackling graduate unemployment across the country, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has inaugurated the University Entrepreneurship Development Programme to promote self-employment among the youth, right from institutions of higher learning.
The UNEDEP, which will be implemented by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, is also aimed at enhancing and re-orientating the values of undergraduates; providing a mentoring platform for students; and reducing poverty and youth unemployment, among other objectives.
Speaking during the unveiling of the programme in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said the programme would give students the opportunity for practical hands on experience to enable them to successfully manage their own businesses.
He said, “UNEDEP’s mission is to ‘catch them young’. The programme focuses on entrepreneurship development of undergraduates and aims to create future entrepreneurs; encourage self-employment; embed business ethics among the youth and consequently reduce the incidence of poverty.
“We will achieve this by using the existing Network for African Student Entrepreneurs club structure and deriving a standard schedule of activities for all members across all universities.
“Part of our strategy is to assess existing scalable student businesses to determine ways to enhance these, and then, creating a platform for student mentoring by successful entrepreneurs. Our goal is for students to receive the necessary capacity building as part of the activities of the entrepreneurship clubs.”
The Punch