N1bn innovation hub funded by billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu unveiled at UNIMAID
BUA Cement Plc., Abdul Samad Rabiu. [Twitter:@NTANewsNow]
• VP Kashim Shettima has launched the N1 billion innovation hub donated by BUA Cement Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu to the University of Maiduguri.
• The centre was built to foster the growth and advancement of innovation and entrepreneurship among students and researchers.
• Both Shettima and Abdul Samad Rabiu were honoured with honorary doctorate degrees during the university’s 24th combined convocation.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has launched the N1 billion International Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship donated by BUA Cement Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu to the University of Maiduguri.
The centre, built to foster the growth and advancement of innovation and entrepreneurship among students and researchers was launched on Saturday.
Both Shettima and Abdul Samad Rabiu were honoured with honorary doctorate degrees during the university’s 24th combined convocation.
“On behalf of President Bola Tinubu, who is the visitor to this university, I hereby commission this centre. The centre is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Tinubu administration for the rapid resuscitation and prosperity of the economy, ” VP Shettima said.
Rabiu stressed that the construction and donation of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre were integral to the corporate social responsibility of the conglomerate and the ASR Africa Initiative to expedite economic growth and development in the country.
Innovation centre
In his welcome address at the event, Prof. Aliyu Shugaba, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, emphasized the significance of the centre, stating that it holds importance in two aspects for the institution.
“First, it physically offers the gigantic and befitting edifice for entrepreneurial training in the university. Secondly, it provides the best prospect for the necessary paradigm shift in entrepreneurial learning,” he said.
According to him, despite providing three months of entrepreneurship training and exposing over 70,000 students to it, the goal of creating enterprises by the students at graduation has not been realised.
However, the Abdul Samad Centre is expected to address this situation and cultivate a vibrant innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem, fostering creativity, collaboration, and experimentation.
Africa.businessinsider.com
