The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has teamed up with Brunel Business School, Brunel University, London, to enhance entrepreneurship skills among secondary school students in Abuja.
The collaboration was announced on Monday at the launch of the Brunel-FCT Innovation Challenge, aimed at nurturing student-led solutions to local challenges.
Professor Ainurul Rosli, an expert in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at Brunel University, explained that the initiative aims to turn students’ ideas into viable products that can solve societal problems. She emphasized that the challenge encourages students to explore their local environment, identify gaps, and come up with innovative solutions to improve their community, particularly focusing on science and technology-based products.
“This initiative is designed to help students assess their local surroundings, identify unmet needs, and propose practical solutions that can lead to improvements for the community. We want to equip students to think entrepreneurially and make a tangible impact on their society,” said Rosli.
The competition will run from January to March 2025 and is open to all secondary schools within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Students will work in teams of five to address local issues with entrepreneurial solutions. Brunel University will provide mentorship through monthly online sessions, guiding both students and teachers to refine their ideas and help bring them to market.
“We believe that Nigerian students have extraordinary ideas, but they need the right support to grow and commercialize them. This partnership is about helping students turn those ideas into practical solutions that can improve their communities and contribute to the local economy,” Rosli added.
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In addition to providing mentorship, the program aims to ensure that the products students develop are both economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The challenge is aligned with a broader vision to make Abuja a safer, fairer, greener, and more prosperous city.
Mr. Olobashola Kolawale, Director of Science, Technology, and Innovation at the FCTA Education Secretariat, highlighted the significance of the partnership in transforming entrepreneurship education in the FCT. Kolawale noted that while entrepreneurship training in schools had been ongoing, this partnership would help bridge the gap between theory and practical application, enabling students to bring their ideas to life.
“This collaboration with Brunel University has equipped us with the tools to help students turn their ideas into reality. We are now better positioned to teach them not only the principles of entrepreneurship but also the practical steps to make their ideas successful,” Kolawale explained.
Mr. Musa Zuru, the principal of Government Secondary School, Kubwa, shared how the training has helped him support students in applying their knowledge to real-world challenges. “Our students are now thinking creatively and coming up with promising solutions to environmental and community problems in a profitable way,” Zuru said.
The initiative has already attracted support from various partners, including banks, government agencies, and trade chambers, who will help students pitch and commercialize their ideas. The partnership aims to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among the younger generation, ultimately contributing to the economic growth of Abuja and Nigeria at large.
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