The Niger State government has declared every Friday as Entrepreneurship Activity in all schools across the state.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed, revealed this at a one-day SEA-HUB stakeholders workshop held at NUT, Teachers House, Minna, on Wednesday, 6th November 2024.
The workshop, with the theme: ‘Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Empowerment in Nigeria (SEDIN-IV)’, was organised by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in collaboration with the German International Development (G.I.Z).
Dr Asabe Mohammed, who noted that Niger was ahead of all states across the country in introducing entrepreneurship in schools, said that 15 out of the 25 local councils in Niger State had introduced the program into their curricula, assuring that all the 534 schools would soon implement it.
Dr Hadiza added: “Governor Umaru Bago had given the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education the mandate to impact vocational skills to students right from the basic level to secondary schools.”
The Commissioner, however, maintained that the state government would support schools with all necessary materials and equipment needed to enhance entrepreneurship skills in schools by 2025, and appreciated GIZ for their support to the state as well as the country at large.
Head of Component for the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, GIZ SEDI, Babafemi Oyediran, explained that the workshop is aimed at fostering collaboration among key partners, including the Niger State Ministry of Education, SMEDAN, and GIZ, to develop a cohesive action plan for the program’s next phase by leveraging the partners. Noting that the workshop would enhance efforts to institutionalise the SEA-HUB entrepreneurship model across the state, he outlined roles, responsibilities, and timelines to support the program’s long-term success.
Oyediran stressed that the workshop would also serve as a platform for strategic dialogue among key stakeholders from diverse sectors, including educators, government agencies, technical advisors, and community leaders, to review the program’s progress, identify gaps, and design a cohesive roadmap for its next phase.
He observed that in Nigeria, young people often lack access to practical entrepreneurship education, limiting their preparedness for economic independence and meaningful employment. He said the gap is pronounced in secondary education, where students rarely engage with business fundamentals.
Oyediran further stated that the Students’ Entrepreneurship Activity Hub (SEA-HUB) program was launched to bring hands-on entrepreneurship by creating mini-businesses, even with minimal funding.
He said the participation of the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in the stakeholders’ workshop further underscores the state’s commitment to creating a robust structure for entrepreneurship education that empowers youth and fosters long-term economic resilience.
The participants at the workshop included principals and staff advisors from current SEA-HUB schools, representatives from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Business Development Committee Network, officials from the State Ministry of Youth Development, Niger State SME Agency, and the Niger State Chapter of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, as well as SEA-HUB trainers from within the State Ministry of Women Affairs, zonal and local council education authorities.
