Despite being a relatively young higher institution of learning, the Kwara State University Malete said it had attracted a whopping sum of N1 billion as entrepreneurship grants.
The grants realised from different sources including local and foreign corporate bodies, individuals and philanthropists, according to the institution, are being used to support students and alumni in floating their private businesses.
The institution, established 11 years ago, has made entrepreneurship training a mandatory skill that every student must acquire before graduation.
Addressing journalists at the bi-monthly interactive session organised at the instance of the vice chancellor, Prof. Mohammed Akanbi, KWASU’ s director, centre for entrepreneurship studies, Dr Sunday Ojo, said so far, 18,000 businesses had been registered by KWASU’s students with the Corporate Affairs Commission, (CAC), in Ilorin.
The media parley is to afford directors of the centres to give an update on their activities.
Speaking to journalists, Dr Ojo said the projection of the centre is that “in the next 10 years ,60 % of KWASU’ s budget will be funded by our alumnus” adding that the institution was training people “to be job creators and not job seekers.”
Ojo said the institution had also mentored notable institutions like University of Abuja, University of Osun and Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin among several others.He said the business acumen among students of the institution was comparable to none, saying products of the institution were always distinguishing themselves in the area of entrepreneurship wherever they found themselves.
As a way of further inspiring the students, Ojo said successful entrepreneurs were always invited to mentor students of the institution.
Speaking on the institution’s drive at ensuring food security, the director, centre for investment and consulting services, Dr Mustapha AbdulRahman ,disclosed that plans were underway by the institution to float a 95,000-capacity hatchery with a modern pen for 15,000 birds.
He said with the commercial production of table eggs with Pleasures and Gains Foods limited with cognate experience in three states of the federation, “KWASU is expected to make a financial commitment of N20 million while the company is willing to source for more than N30 million to build a modern pen for 15,000 birds”.
