Professor Ogundipe Innovative Challenge Partners First City Monument Bank to Boost Entrepreneurship in UNILAG

The Professor Ogundipe Innovative Challenge (POIC) has entered into a partnership with the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) to foster and boost entrepreneurship amongst the students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The agreement was made while the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe in his Office met with representatives of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) along with organizers of the Professor Ogundipe Innovative Challenge (POIC).

The Vice Chancellor during the meeting stated that the POIC seeks to assist Nigerian students become young entrepreneurs before the end of their graduation from the University. He expressed his interest in the Nigerian youths, who he described as having so many ideas which needs to be harvested for nation building.

In his words,“the University of Lagos wants our students to have a certificate in entrepreneurship irrespective of the course they studied at the university. We are also going to assist them by registering their businesses with the government such that when such businesses become successful the University will become part of their success stories, and this will also help in the university ranking”.

Ogundipe also revealed that at least 1 % of the students’ business ideas will be registered by the university before they graduate. He stated the readiness of the University of Lagos to align with FCMB in ways to bring the innovations to reality.

The Executive Director (FCMB), who was represented by the Division Head Transaction Services, Mrs. Rolayo Akhigbe, expressed her company’s readiness to partner with POIC. She stated that the bank would replicate the Hub-1project on the University of Lagos campus and the winners of the POIC will be supported by the bank and its ICT Unit in their bid to get into the market space.

The Incubation hub will be set up before the end of April, solely for the students to create jobs and be employers of labor.

Also, present at the meeting were the Chairman of the POIC, Dr. Kema Bonta, Ag.Director of the CITS, Dr. Odumuyiwa, Dr.Minari  amongst others