Transforming Learning: Igbinedion University With New Approach To Entrepreneurial Education

If you have ever been to Igbinedion University popularly known as Okada (IUO) in Edo State, Nigeria, you will sense something beyond the usual rhythm of lectures and exams. Here, the pursuit of “knowledge & excellence” (the university’s motto) is being amplified by a deliberate drive toward entrepreneurship not just as a side module, but as a core culture. In this article, we’ll chart IUO’s journey.

A Brief History of the School

The University was established in 1999, making it the first private university in Nigeria to receive full licence. Though the school started small with only about a hundred enrolments, it has grown steadily over the years.
Today, it stands as a dominant private institution offering numerous programmes to both undergraduates and post-graduates.

But perhaps even more interesting, IUO recognised early on that many graduates in Nigeria would leave the university walls only to struggle for employment. The school began embedding skills acquisition and entrepreneurship into its educational courses. As far back as 2014, the university’s Skills Acquisition Centre was already active and well documented in various trainings. It offered programmes in tailoring, block molding, animal husbandry, cosmetics, desktop publishing, catering and several other vocational skills.

Fast forward to recent years, IUO now runs mandatory entrepreneurship courses for all students, from 200-level foundation courses to 300-level practical engagements. The university has even collaborated with external innovation centres to bring digital-tech and startup development opportunities to students.

Purpose & Focus of the New Plan

So, what exactly is the “new approach” we’re talking about? In essence, IUO is not simply adding an entrepreneurship module, but is reframing the learning experience, turning students into creators not merely job seekers.

The plan is multi-faceted:

• All students at the 200-level take a foundational “Entrepreneurial Studies” course (EPS 211).
• At 300-level there is a practical experiential phase, where students choose from a set of skill modules (for example tailoring/fashion design, block moulding, cosmetics, etc) and develop a physical product or service.
• There are mentorship, start-up culture and creation centres built in (IUO’s partnership with Ehizua Hub and the establishment of “Igbinedion Hub” being one such step).
• The objective: produce graduates who look beyond “find a job” and instead ask “how can I create value?” The VC has stated that entrepreneurship is crucial for national development and that IUO is deliberately preparing students to stand “on their own anywhere in the world.”

In short, the focus is skills, mindset and real world application, not just theory. It’s about embedding innovation, self-reliance and the ability to create livelihoods not simply seek them.

Targeted People

Who is this plan designed for? Broadly speaking all students at IUO and across disciplines, not just business majors. The point is that regardless of whether a student studies engineering, law, sciences or arts, they will encounter entrepreneurship training. As the VC puts it, “for all disciplines”.

So targeted groups include:

• The 200-level students: getting the foundation in entrepreneurial thinking.
• The 300-level students: moving into practical skill modules and product creation.
• Student start-ups and those interested in creating enterprises while still studying.
• In a sense, the university also focuses on the wider community through its commitment to practical, impactful education.
• It aims to produce graduates who actively contribute to the economy rather than simply adding to underemployment challenges.

In effect, the plan is inclusive. It isn’t locked to business faculties only, but touches the entire student body. That makes the ambition bigger and the potential impact broader.

Broad Effect on Nigeria’s School Systems & Entrepreneurship

Why does what IUO is doing matter beyond its own campus? Because in Nigeria today, we face pressing challenges including high youth unemployment and a widening gap between education and industry. There is also an urgent need for greater self employment opportunities and sustained growth in small and medium enterprises nationwide.

By embedding entrepreneurial education as a core part of the curriculum, IUO is setting a model for other universities (and potentially even lower level institutions) to follow. Here are some ways the impact will play out:

• Shift in mindset: Students will begin to realise that education goes beyond getting a job, it’s about solving problems and creating value. That mindset matters.
• Skills for employability: Graduates with both disciplinary knowledge and practical skills are more likely to be employable or employ themselves. IUO’s insistence on practical work and start up development helps here.
• Stimulating SMEs: If universities produce graduates who start businesses and innovate, the SME sector grows, which in turn supports economic development. IUO’s VC explicitly links entrepreneurship training to national development.
• Educational reform agenda: When private institutions like IUO show what is possible, public institutions may feel pressure to adapt curricula. They may also integrate skills acquisition, form industry partnerships and foster an entrepreneurship culture.
• Cultural change in higher education: Instead of a lecture centered training model, universities may begin embracing more creative and dynamic forms of instruction.
• We might see project-based, experiential and innovation-driven learning gradually emerge across Nigeria’s rapidly evolving tertiary education system.
• Bridging digital divide: With IUO’s Centre for Digital Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship, a clear and practical model for modern education has emerged. It shows how Nigerian universities can integrate technology and entrepreneurship effectively to stay competitive and globally relevant.

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, what Igbinedion University is doing represents a truly transformative shift in education. The focus is moving from producing graduates ready for employment to graduates fully prepared to create meaningful employment opportunities.

It’s an approach that acknowledges Nigeria’s realities on high youth numbers and limited formal employment. This will also recognise the need for innovation and gives students more than just a degree.

If this model scales, Nigeria’s university system could make entrepreneurship a core lifeline, producing graduates with ideas, skills, prototypes and confidence.
That matters not only for the campus in Okada but also for Nigeria’s broader economy and the futures of its youth.

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