edkt paper for senate.centre proposal.2

8/2/2019 EDKT Paper for Senate.centre Proposal.2

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UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,

MAKURDI, NIGERIAMAKURDI, NIGERIAMAKURDI, NIGERIAMAKURDI, NIGERIA

PROPOSAL FOR THEPROPOSAL FOR THEPROPOSAL FOR THEPROPOSAL FOR THE

ESTABLISHMENTESTABLISHMENTESTABLISHMENTESTABLISHMENT

OFOFOFOF

CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURCENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURCENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURCENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIPSHIPSHIPSHIP

DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT AND KNOWLEDGEAND KNOWLEDGEAND KNOWLEDGEAND KNOWLEDGE

TRANSFER (CEDKT)TRANSFER (CEDKT)TRANSFER (CEDKT)TRANSFER (CEDKT)

Submitted By:Submitted By:Submitted By:Submitted By:

Engr.Engr.Engr.Engr. ProfProfProfProf. S. V. Irtwange. S. V. Irtwange. S. V. Irtwange. S. V. Irtwange

Coordinator,Coordinator,Coordinator,Coordinator,

Entrepreneurship Development and KnowledgeEntrepreneurship Development and KnowledgeEntrepreneurship Development and KnowledgeEntrepreneurship Development and Knowledge TransferTransferTransferTransfer,,,,

Office of the Vice ChancellorOffice of the Vice ChancellorOffice of the Vice ChancellorOffice of the Vice Chancellor,,,,

University of Agriculture, MakurdiUniversity of Agriculture, MakurdiUniversity of Agriculture, MakurdiUniversity of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria, Nigeria, Nigeria, Nigeria


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Table of Contents

Cover Page - - - - - - - - - - 1

Table of Contents - - - - - - - - - 2

List of Figures - - - - - - - - - 5

1. BRIEF ON UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MAKURDI - - 6

1.1 Establishment - - - - - - - - 6

1.2 Location - - - - - - - - 6

1.3 Mission and Mandate - - - - - - - 6

1.4 Philosophy and Approach - - - - - - 6

1.5 Academic Units - - - - - - - 7

1.6 Objectives of Undergraduate Education at University of

Agriculture, Makurdi - - - - - - - 9

2. CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER (CEDKT) - - - - - 10

2.1 Background - - - - - - - - 10

2.2 The Role of Entrepreneurship in Nation Building - - - 11

2.3 Establishment of the Centre - - - - - - 12

2.3.1 Historical Antecedents in Nigerian

Higher Institutions - - - - - - 12

2.3.2 The Name of the Centre - - - - - 13

2.3.3 Status of the Centre - - - - - - 13

2.3.4 Rationale for the Centre - - - - - 13

2 3 5 Vision 15


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2.3.9 Personnel Requirements - - - - - 16

2.3.9.1 Administrative Staff - - - - - 16

2.3.9.2 Subject Matter Experts - - - - 16

2.3.10 Institutional Linkages - - - - - 16

2.4. Departments/Units of the Centre - - - - - 17

2.4.1 Entrepreneurial Programme Services Department - - 17

2.4.1.1 Entrepreneurship and Skills

Acquisition Unit - - - - - 17

2.4.1.2 Training, Conferences, Seminars

and Workshop Unit - - - - - 18

2.4.1.3 Grants, Collaborative Research,Linkages and Networking Unit - - - 19

2.4.1.4 Entrepreneurship Publications and

Extension Unit - - - - - 20

2.4.1.5 Enterprises Management Unit - - - 21

2.4.2 Entrepreneurial Curriculum Development andImplementation Department - - - - - 22

2.4.2.1 Entrepreneurship Counselling Unit - - - 22

2.4.2.2 College/Departmental Entrepreneurship

Courses Coordinating Unit - - - - 22

2.4.2.3 Students Entrepreneurial

Organizations Unit - - - - - 24

2.4.3 Entrepreneurship and Industrial Research

Department - - - - - - - 26

2.4.3.1 Technology Incubation Unit - - - - 26


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2.4.3.5 Micro, Small and Medium

Enterprises Unit - - - - - 32

2.4.3.6 Technology Acquisition and

Promotion Unit - - - - - 34

2.4.3.7 Biotechnology Development Unit - - - 37

2.4.3.8 Information Technology

Development Unit - - - - - 38

3. CONCLUSION - - - - - - - - 38


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List of Figures

Figure Title Page

1 Proposed Organogram of the Centre for

Entrepreneurship Development and Knowledge

Transfer (CEDKT) 40


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1. BRIEF ON UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, MAKURDI

1.1 Establishment

The University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM) is one of the two Universities of Agriculture

established by the Federal Government in January, 1988. A third one was added in 1993.

UAM succeeded the Makurdi Campus of the University of Jos (established in 1984), which

in turn had succeeded the former Federal University of Technology, Makurdi (established in

1980). The University was set up to pioneer new institutional approaches to the generation

and dissemination of new agricultural technologies. The University of Agriculture, Makurdi

was established against the background of an existing network of faculties of Agriculture inabout 24 Federal owned general Universities and 14 State-owned Universities; 18

autonomous agricultural research institutions; extension services of the Agricultural

Development Projects and a multiplicity of tertiary institutions offering sub-degree programs

in agriculture.

1.2 Location

UAM is located in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State of Nigeria, a State generally known asthe Food Basket of Nigeria. The ecology of Benue State supports extensive arable cropping

and livestock production as well as fruit, palm, grains, legumes, root and tuber production.

Benue State falls within the coordinates 747 and 1000 East, 625 and 88 North.

1.3 Mission and Mandate

The University of Agriculture, Makurdi aims at providing prompt solutions to farmers

practical problems, raising farm output and incomes and accelerating the drive towardsnational food self-sufficiency. Specifically, UAM has been established to:

Generate new high yielding agricultural technologies that are sufficiently adapted andrelevant to specific local environments.

Accelerate diffusion and mass adoption of new technologies on Nigerian farms througheffective linkages with State extension service:

Sensitize researchers to the pressing needs of farmers, agro-industrialists and consumerswith respect to production technology;

Bring the fruits of science to the doorstep of agro-industrial establishments in the form,amounts and time that they are needed most;

Bring to the attention of agricultural researchers pressing problems on farmers fieldswith minimum delay:

Train needed manpower that is consistent with the requirements of an integrated researchextension system, and

Assist in substantially raising farm output and incomes of Nigerian farmers as well as


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practical farm planning, production and marketing and a period of supervised farming

internship at the village level. The basic philosophy then is the democratization and

liberalization of the scientific transformation of Nigerian agriculture with small scale

farmers in the vanguard.

Approach: In the execution of its primary mandate and mission, the University of

Agriculture, Makurdi is expected to introduce innovative and revolutionary approaches to

agricultural research extension and training. These include among others:

Development of strong disciplinary core, with emphasis on applications in the generalareas of crop production and husbandry: animal production and veterinary sciences;

agricultural economics, rural sociology and home economics; agricultural engineering

and technology: basic sciences and general studies, to provide strong training for the largenumber of subject-matter specialist required at all levels;

Development of a virile outreach and extension service based on a two way LAB-TO-LAND strategy aimed at promptly conveying research results from researchers

laboratories to farmers fields and for relaying farmers field problems to researchers in

the University;

Development of a revitalized and reorganized co-operative extension system jointlyoperated by the State Ministries of Agriculture, the World Bank assisted Agricultural

Development Projects (ADPs) and other agencies on one hand, and the outreachprogrammes of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi on the other, with emphasis on the

development of a core subject-matter specialists;

Cultivation of research linkages between the 18 agricultural research institutes and theoutreach programmes of the University;

Development of a mission oriented agricultural research system that focuses on thepractical problems of accelerated food and fibre production, storage, processing and

utilization through the provision of an innovative package of adequate incentives for

career advancement of researchers and extension workers engaged in finding solutions to

practical problems of farmers and agro-industrialists;

Concentration on the more applied forms of agricultural research which address pressingpractical farm-level problems;

Development of training facilities and communication technologies for imparting newfarming skills to Nigerian farmers through on-the job training;

Development of strong links between researchers in various disciplines in the Universityand subject-matter specialist in the Universitys outreach programme to enhance the

practical relevance of faculty research and staff, and finally

The University of Agriculture, Makurdi will conduct research and outreach programmesin the areas of storage, preservation, processing and marketing to enhance rural value

added, reduce post-harvest losses and translate farm production increases into higher

producer income gains for Nigerias farming majority.

1.5 Academic Units


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College of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Management Technologyo Department of Agricultural Economics; B. Agric (Agricultural Economics)o Department of Agricultural Extension and Communication; B. Agric (Agricultural

Extension and Communication)

o Department of Agricultural Management College of Agriculture and Science Education

o Department of Agricultural Science Education; B. Agricultural Educationo Department of Science Education; B. Sc (Ed) Statistics/Computer Science, B. Sc

(Ed) Mathematics/Computer Science, B. Sc (Ed) Integrated Science, B. Sc (Ed)

Chemistry, B. Sc (Ed) Biology, B. Sc (Ed) Physics, B Sc (Ed)

Mathematics/Statistics,

College of Animal Scienceo Department of Animal Production; B. Agric (Animal Production)o Department of Animal Nutrition; B. Agric (Animal Nutrition)o Department of Animal Breeding and Physiology; B. Agric (Animal Breeding and

Physiology)

College of Engineeringo Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering; B. Eng (Agricultural

and Environmental Engineering)

o Department of Civil Engineering; B. Eng (Civil Engineering)o Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering; B. Eng (Electrical/Electronic

Engineering)

o Department of Mechanical Engineering; B. Eng (Mechanical Engineering) College of Food Technology

o Department of Home Science and Management; B. Sc (Home Science andManagement)

o Department of Food Science and Technology; B. Sc (Food Science andTechnology)

College of Forestry and Fisherieso Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture; B. Fisho Department of Forestry Production and Products; B. For (Forestry, Wildlife and

Range Management)

o Department of Social and Environmental Forestryo Department of Wildlife and Range Management

College of Scienceo

Department of Biological Sciences; B. Sc Zoology, B. Sc Microbiology, B. ScBotany, B. Sc Biochemistry

o Department of Chemistry; B. Sc Chemistryo Department of Maths/Stat/Computer Science; B. Sc (Hons) Statistics/Computer

Science, B. Sc (Hons) Mathematics/Computer Science

o Department of Physics; B. Sc Physics, B. Sc Industrial Physicso Department of Educational Foundation and General Studies


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o Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology; Doctor of VeterinaryMedicine

o Department of Veterinary Animal Productiono Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomologyo Department of Veterinary Anatomyo Department of Veterinary Medicine

Postgraduate School Directorate of Linkages Directorate of Alumni Relations Directorate of Research Development Directorate of Cooperative Extension Centre (CEC) Directorate of Academic Planning Directorate, Seed Technology Centre Institute of Food Security (IFS) University Teaching and Research Farms University Commercial Farms Information and Communication Technology Centre (ICTC) UAM Consultancy Services

Veterinary Teaching Hospital SIWES1.6 Objectives of Undergraduate Education at University of Agriculture, MakurdiThe undergraduate programme is tailored towards fulfilling the developmental aspirations of

developing agriculture, including the objectives of the new National Agricultural Policy.

These include: (1) accelerated production with the aim of attaining self-sufficiency in basic

food and fibre; (2) enhancement of farm incomes; (3) increased foreign exchange earning

from agriculture as contribution to the diversification of the country's total foreign exchange

earnings; (4) provision of raw materials for the country's agro-industrialization; (5) promotion

of rural employment and, (6) enhancement of National Food Security. The objectives of the

undergraduate training programme at UNIAGRIC, Makurdi are, among others, to:

Enhance students' understanding of the role of agriculture and rural development in thecountry's accelerated drive towards food and fibre self-reliance and self-sufficiency,

economic reconstruction and social justice, thereby enabling agriculture to fulfill its

historical mission in the country's overall economic growth;

Inculcate the basic principles in the physical, social and biological sciences relevant foragricultural production, processing, storage, preservation and consumption;

Teach students the relationship between human needs and resources, farm productionactivities and the environment and between production systems and the underlying socio-

cultural milieu;

Inculcate in the students the fundamental issues of economic interdependence in a global


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Sensitize students to the practical farming problems encountered by village-level farmersto provide a solid foundation for post graduation self-employment and to enhance their

effectiveness as extension agents, and

Inculcate in students the most effective communicative techniques for disseminatinginformation on new technologies to farmers, agro-industrialists and consumers.

2. CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER (CEDKT)

2.1 Background

National governments the world over are striving to achieve the United Nations Millennium

Development Goals (MDG) of halving the incidence of poverty by 2015 but poverty cannot

be halved if unemployment persists. However, what we need now is not rhetoric, not

theorizing, not just creating new ideas but action towards solving the real domineering

problems of unemployment and poverty in Nigeria. The educational system in Nigeria has

passed through series of transformations geared towards repositioning it to be science and

technology based and to supply the needed manpower to transform the Nigerian economy

from that of traditional agricultural based to an industrialized economy. Today the Nigeriangovernment is implementing some reforms in our educational systems in a bid to

repositioning our educational system and making it better poised to meeting the demands of

industry. There is therefore the need to promote and foster entrepreneurial culture and mind-

set, skill acquisition, self-employment, economic independence and self-actualization among

the graduates of the University system.

Our graduates must imbibe the entrepreneurial spirit which is manifested in persistence,

confidence, boldness, foresight and sacrifice. They must have the poise to start their own

small scale enterprise and possess good/practical knowledge of basic business management,

business development service and acquire life skills and leadership qualities required to lead

an organization. He/she should have practical orientation to solving problems and must be

ready to apply the knowledge acquired in the University. Thus the task of moulding our

graduates towards achieving these products would require the active cooperation and

involvement of the students, the lecturers and the university administration.

The unemployment situation in Nigeria has been traced to poor entrepreneurship

development in addition to macroeconomic distortions. Besides, dwindling academicstandards in our tertiary institutions has exacerbated this problem, and this is quite

worrisome. Also, the high incidence of poverty which has shaken the economic foundations

of our country demands urgent attention in order to save our economy and our people. In

order to reverse these ugly trends, and in line with the federal government policy of

promoting private sector participation in economic development, the University of


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2.2 The Role of Entrepreneurship in Nation Building

Training in entrepreneurship has been used by such countries like Germany to set up unique

engineering oriented business programmes in the University where their potential engineersare encouraged to seek out ideas, and subsequently develop the promising ones from

invention phase to commercialization. Furthermore, entrepreneurship programmes developed

in some Universities have graduated into business schools. For example countries like

Norway have utilized entrepreneurship to inculcate innovation spirit, deliberately targeted at

the youths. This example proves what educators have opined that entrepreneurship education

will enable potential entrepreneurs and create avenues for people to manage innovations,

manage entrepreneurial process and develop their potentials as managers of creativity in

given fields.

These programmes if properly planned and executed will ensure that the issue of self-

employment and job creation will increase. On the other hand, menaces usually visible due to

youth unemployment and restiveness will be highly reduced. This reality is one of the

greatest challenges facing leaders in Nigeria.

Nigerian education is currently at a crossroad as far as producing individuals who will work

to deserve and justify their pay, work independently, globally and bring creativity into theirwork place. The current mismatch between what Nigerian economy needs and what Nigerian

youths are made to study in school is becoming very appalling.

The result of a three week large scale, rapid survey jointly sponsored by National University

Commission (NUC) and Education Trust Fund (ETF) to determine the needs of the labour

market that Nigeria University graduates are failing to meet, showed that of 100 individuals

and 20 organizations visited, 44% rated Nigerian science graduates as average in competence,

56% rated them as average in innovation, 50% rated them average in rational judgement,

63% as average in leadership skills, 44% as average in creativity. On needed skills like

literacy, oral communication, information technology, entrepreneurial, analytical, problem

solving and decision making, 60% rated them as poor. This data can be said to explain why

there has been very obvious increase in unemployment rate. One of the reason given was that

these graduates were simply unemployable.

Furthermore, the graduates were said to exhibit the following weaknesses according to the

NUC/ETF report.

Poor classroom management and control Shallow subject matter knowledge Poor computer skills Inability to communicate effectively in English Lack of professionalism Lack of self reliance and entrepreneurial skills


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words, they are provided with information, knowledge, skills, attitudes that would enable

them perform well as business men and women. They will turnout to be business men who

have developed business capacities and are learning to make money. These competences will

in turn help them display their zeal for nation building in a very efficient manner. Anythingshort of these realities will be handling Nigerian problems of repositioning the youths with

kid gloves.

2.3 Establishment of the Centre

2.3.1 Historical Antecedents in Nigerian Higher Institutions

Entrepreneurship education is on the priority agenda of the Musa YarAdua ledAdministration in Nigeria. This is especially in realisation of the need to redress the problem

of graduate unemployment in the country and create job opportunities for the teeming

Nigerian youths. The task before tertiary institutions therefore is to change the mindset of our

youths towards creativity, innovation and enterprise in order for them to be job creators rather

than job seekers. To achieve this objective, the Federal Government has approved the

mandatory introduction of entrepreneurship education in all institutions of higher learning in

Nigeria. The training in this programme will entail both theoretical and practical exposure,

including mentoring and get up and go schemes.

To this end, the Federal Ministry of Education has directed all the tertiary education

regulatory agencies to ensure the implementation of the Presidential directive. Accordingly, a

Presidential Committee on Entrepreneurship Education in Nigerian Higher Education

Institutions has been established under the Chairmanship of the National Universities

Commission. The Committee has evolved a three block approach of capacity building,

establishment of Centres of Entrepreneurship and Knowledge Transfer, as well as micro-

finance scheme.

Global entrepreneurship development practices indicate that whereas some institutions may

create self-contained courses and programs aimed at generic entrepreneurial competencies,

some may embed the skills into occupational programs, and others may create real or

simulated enterprises as learning environments. Nigeria has chosen the embedded or

integrating skills approach which assumes that entrepreneurship is a fork on a career path

that begins with employment - a job where students acquire the skills they need to one day

make it on their own. To support this notion, entrepreneurial skills and habits are integrated

into the curricula of other occupational programs, addressing problems typically encounteredby new and small-business owners.

In the case of the institutions under the supervision of the National Board for Technical

Education (NBTE), arrangements have been concluded to implement governments directive

on the introduction of entrepreneurial education in all programmes in these institutions.


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GST 223: Introduction to Entrepreneurial Skills (2 Credits) ESP 311: Introduction to Entrepreneurship Studies (2 Credits)This is a benchmark minimum academic standard for the Entrepreneurship Studies

Programme (ESP) for the Universities with effect from 2007/2008 academic session. Someprogrammes in the University of Agriculture, Makurdi have already embedded

entrepreneurship education in the curriculum. However, there is need for harmonisation

across all programmes in the University.

The Government of Nigeria has also directed that entrepreneurship study centers must be

established in all Universities to ensure students are fully given hands-on opportunity to

acquire the requisite skills of their preference. This is in view to complementing the

compulsory entrepreneurship programme offered students.

2.3.2 The Name of the Centre:

There shall be established at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi a centre to be called

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Knowledge Transfer otherwise abbreviated

CEDKT.

2.3.3 Status of the Centre:

The Centre shall operate as an academic centre under the office of the Vice Chancellor

2.3.4 Rationale for the Centre

There is high rate of unemployment in Nigeria conservatively estimated at over 25%. Most

secondary school leavers and university graduates in Nigeria are unemployed and again, it is

estimated that over 71% of students who graduate from Nigeria Universities, Polytechnics

and Colleges of Education do not find jobs (Daily Independent, Feb. 7, 2007:A4). In fact,

unemployment has become chronic over the years, depopulating the rural areas and

aggravating the evils of slums in cities and even townships. The facts on ground show that

the population is increasing and job opportunities are getting leaner and leaner. The

implications of these are the unwholesome attitude and restiveness of our youths. In fact,

unemployment, among others, has exacerbated social ills and delinquent behaviour among

youths, especially armed robbery, political thuggery, militancy, terrorism and advance fee

fraud, with government spending a lot of money on crime control.

There is falling standard of education and poor quality of graduates. In Nigeria currently,

secondary school and university education turn out a large chunk of unskilled, un-

enterprising and unemployable school leavers and graduates. A study conducted on labour

market expectations of Nigeria graduates found that university education in Nigeria does not

adequately prepare graduates for employment/self-employment. This is manifested in the


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There is lack of entrepreneurial spirit among secondary school leavers and higher education

graduates. Most secondary school leavers and university graduates always focus their minds

on job search without thinking of how they could use the knowledge they have acquired to

create jobs.

Most streets in Nigeria are littered with robust youths, often secondary schools graduates and

dropouts, engaged in motorcycle transport and in street hawking. Besides the dangers these

youths are exposed to, they are often accused of incessant robbery and assassination crimes

often witnessed in most States of Nigeria. The banning or restriction of their operations in

some cities in Nigeria attests to this fact. A rapid appraisal of the situation shows that most

of these youths engage in these activities because they lack requisite skills and empowerment

that will enhance self employment. The CEDKT will help train these people in requisite skillsthereby empowering them for self reliance and thus enhancing the reduction in crimes often

attributed to them. In addition, the secondary school curriculum was expected to empower

school leavers in practical science and technology skills. However, this laudable objective has

never been achieved especially due to lack of qualified teachers and requisite facilities to

enhance skill acquisition. Thus the CEDKT will fill this gap by providing the practical skills

to the school leavers and will go further to train them on how they could use the acquired

skills and manage their own businesses. Furthermore, the Students Industrial Work

Experience Scheme (SIWES) designed to enable students acquire practical industrial trainingthrough industrial attachment has been marred by a multiplicity of problems such as funding

difficulties, students truancy, monitoring and supervision difficulties, industry placement

shortfall, and incongruence between university curriculum and industrial production

practices. The establishment of the Centre will achieve in a cost effective manner, the

objective of SIWES.

The establishment of the Centre is therefore justified for the following reasons, among others

to:

generate employment opportunities for Nigerians in pursuance of the provisions of theNational Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS). It will therefore

enhance the actualization of NEEDS especially in the areas of employment generation,

poverty reduction and wealth creation. The goals are wealth creation, employment

generation, poverty reduction and value reorientation while the implementation strategies

include empowering the people, promoting private enterprises, among others;

develop entrepreneurship spirit amongst Nigerians and provide insight into the tools,techniques and framework for managing all functional areas of business enterprises,

including production, marketing, personnel and finance; develop skills of would be entrepreneurs to successfully start, expand, diversify and

manage a business enterprise as well as link them with financial institutions to start up

capital;

raise a new class of entrepreneur/owners, who can compete globally and succeed inmanaging micro/small/medium enterprises and provide the bridge for future


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2.3.5 Vision

The vision is a fully empowered Nigerian youth through the catalytic and pioneering role of

micro, small and medium enterprises made possible through entrepreneurship developmentand knowledge transfer.

2.3.6 Mission

The mission is to promote entrepreneurial culture and mind-set, skill acquisition, self-

employment, economic independence and self-actualization through free enterprise

education.

2.3.7 Funding

The CEDKT shall be funded through statutory allocations, internally generated revenue

activities of the Centre and University, government, special grants/subventions, contributions

and donations from agencies, governmental and non-governmental organisations (national

and international) and outsourcing of funds. The Centre shall demonstrate entrepreneurship

through involvement in revenue generation activities, which activities will serves as hands on

experience or get-up-and-go schemes for trainees. Funding is required to run and maintainthe equipment, facilities and services of the Centre.

2.3.8 Organizational Structure

In order to deliver on its core objectives, the Centre shall be organized into multi-disciplinary

areas according to programmes as there is a business side to every subject or course of study.

There shall be a Director for the Centre to be appointed by the Vice Chancellor. There shall

be a Deputy Director who shall also be appointed by the Vice Chancellor. There shall be an

Advisory Board made up of the following:

Deans of Colleges Directors of Academic Directorates College Entrepreneurship Courses Coordinators Faculty Advisor, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), University of Agriculture, Makurdi President, SIFE, University of Agriculture, Makurdi (Student) President, Academy for Entrepreneurship (AES) Club, University of Agriculture,

Makurdi (Student)

Chairman, AES Club Board of Advisers, University of Agriculture, Makurdi SIFE-UAM Business Advisory Board Members Benue State NYSC Entrepreneurship Programme Coordinator SIFE National Programmes Coordinator or his Representative President, Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies, Nigeria or his Representative


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The Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Benue State President, National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Benue State

Chapter

President, Benue State Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Manufacturing and Agriculture(BECCIMA)

Chairmen of Chapters of Relevant Professional Bodies in Benue State Heads of all Military and Paramilitary Formations in Benue State or their RepresentativesThe detailed organisational structure is shown in Figure 1.

2.3.9 Personnel Requirements

All personnel requirements are to be sourced within the University as much as possible.

2.3.9.1Administrative Staff

1 No. Director

1 No. Deputy Director

1 No. Deputy Registrar CEDKT Secretary/Legal Adviser

1 No. Confidential Secretary I

1 No. Chief Secretarial Assistant2 No. Clerical Officers

2 No. Messenger/Cleaners

2.3.9.2 Subject Matter Experts

3 No. Head of CEDKT Departments

16 No. Head of CEDKT Units

9 No. College Entrepreneurship Courses Coordinators36 No. Departmental Entrepreneurship Courses Coordinators

2 No. Professional Staff per Skills Acquisition Trade

2.3.10 Institutional Linkages

The need for linkage relationships with bodies external to the University derives from the

multidisciplinary nature of the enterprise of the Centre, which requires technical inputs from

diverse professional areas. In the University, this diversity is guaranteed by the presence of a

large pool of experts located in the academic departments and other areas. The success of the

Centre in implementing its programmes depends largely on the presence of suitable

mechanisms for establishing internal linkages to tap from the available expertise. The

establishment of the Centre is not only premised on the possibility of internal linkages withColleges, Departments and other Centres but also on external links as the intellectual and

technical resource base for entrepreneurial outreach works The external linkages would


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National Office of Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) National Universities Commission (NUC) Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), Nigeria Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies(AES), Nigeria Education Trust Fund (ETF) Science and Technology Education Post-Basic (STEP-B) Project

The World Bank Country Office, Abuja, Nigeria

2.4. Departments/Units of the Centre

2.4.1 Entrepreneurial Programme Services Department

The programme services department will consist of five units:

Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition Unit Training, Conferences, Seminars and Workshops Unit Grants, Collaborative Research, Linkages and Networking Unit Entrepreneurship Publications and Extension Unit Enterprises Management Unit2.4.1.1Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition Unit

Entrepreneurship is not just skill acquisition for acquisition sake. It is acquisition of skills,

ideas, etc for the sake of creating employment for self and others. It leads to the development

of micro, small, medium and sometimes large scale businesses based on creativity and

innovation. The success of these businesses in turn helps in building and developing the

nation. It also reduces poverty rate, which is a visible increment of employment rate among

the youths. However entrepreneurship requires training. It is becoming clear that certain

parts of it can be taught. Entrepreneurs are made through teaching but could also be born.

The programme is equally built on the premise that traditional vocational training

programmes for youths, lack the entrepreneurship and business management training that

would enable graduates to set up and manage viable and/or sustainable enterprises.

Subsequently there is a gap between vocational skills training programs and marketopportunities that exist.

In its approach, the entrepreneurship training will employ the market demand-driven

approach through periodic scientific action-oriented market research to identify relevant

vocational skills training for the youth. The programme will not employ the traditional


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Some of the ventures recommended by NUC to be focused upon include the following:

1. Soap/detergent, tooth brushes and tooth paste making

2. Photography

3. Brick, nails, screws making4. Dyeing/textile blocks paste making

5. Rope making

6. Plumbing

7. Vulcanising

8. Brewing

9. Glassware production/ceramic production

10. Paper production

11. Water treatment/conditioning/packaging12. Food processing/packaging/preservation

13. Metal working/fabrication - steel and aluminium door and windows

14. Training industry

15. Vegetable oil and salt extractions

16. Fisheries/aquaculture

17. Refrigeration/air conditioning

18. Plastic making

19. Farming (crop)20. Domestic electrical wiring

21. Radio/TV repairs

22. Carving

23. Weaving

24. Brick laying/making

25. Bakery

26. Tailoring

27. Iron welding

28. Building drawing29. Carpentry

30. Leather tanning

31. Interior decoration

32. Printing

33. Animal husbandry (poultry, piggery, goat, etc)

34. Metal craft blacksmith, tinsmith, etc

35. Sanitary wares

36. Vehicle maintenance37. Bookkeeping

2.4.1.2 Training, Conferences, Seminars and Workshops Unit

The Centre shall be poised to inspire, educate and motivate our youths and the unemployed


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Certificate courses in various topics on entrepreneurship ranging from a period of 2weeks and 6 months duration.

Short training courses on key areas of capacity building of 3-5 days duration Workshops, conferences, seminars, etc of 1-2 days duration for creation of awareness on

topical entrepreneurial and knowledge transfer issues

Business plan competitions among students Industry visits and excursions Role model interactions and mentoringThe training concept evolves from the realization that while entrepreneurs are neither born

nor made, potential entrepreneurs can be developed and stimulated to start their own

businesses through appropriate interventions. The program will provide such interventionthrough a package of sub-programs consisting of training, consultancy and financing. The

entrepreneurship training does not and cannot spoon-feed entrepreneurs, but will strongly

support the full development of the potentials and capabilities of independent - minded and

self-confident entrepreneurs who can successfully exploit business opportunities and

overcome challenges in the environment.

The training programme will be built on the notion that prescribing fixed solutions to

entrepreneurs only stifles innovation, increases dependence and reduces competitiveness. Ifentrepreneurs are good and confident enough to carry out their business and if their business

through systematic evaluation appears viable, they should be supported by finance and other

types of assistance. The program itself will not provide direct business financing to its

graduates; it will ensure the participation and cooperation of financing institutions actively

involved in lending to small enterprises within the national micro finance policy framework

developed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The Unit will constantly work towards making Nigerians aware of the potentials of theresources God has endowed the nation with through the media, publications, exhibitions,

seminars, conferences and workshops.

2.4.1.3 Grants, Collaborative Research, Linkages and Networking Unit

To industrialize our country, the university lecturer must reach out to government,

community, industry and the whole world. He should avail himself of opportunities to do

research and advance. Without research, he/she cannot bring new ideas capable of

entrepreneurially transforming our youths into his lecture notes. Thus beside the meagre

research funds provided by the Government, the lecturers should avail themselves of

international competitive grants that abound. There is need to prepare a shopping list to

guide and actively assist lecturers in this regard.

A university lecturer should reach out to the industry through his/her cutting edge research


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available to improve their relevance and establish linkages with industry and private sector in

teaching and research.

The Unit will therefore partner with trade groups, NGOs, government ministries, departmentsand agencies, research and technological institutions and multilateral/donor agencies, etc to

create a dynamic network of stakeholders in the development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria

through innovation, teaching, research and development.

2.4.1.4Entrepreneurship Publications and Extension Unit

The Centres activities and records of achievements shall be documented in research reports,

technical memoranda, technical information bulletin for industry, annual reports,compendium of selected technologies for industrial development in Nigeria, and development

of technological capabilities in Nigeria. There are innovations and research efforts supported

by the university but majority of which are yet to receive robust academic reviews to assist

case analysis. Hence, the need to document answers to the following questions: How often

has the University been a first mover? How many awards have the University won for

innovation and creativity? What radical changes has the University inspired in the

educational sector? To what extent has the University made things to happen in the

educational sector? What are the Universitys challenges in dealing with plagiarization of

research works?

The CEDKT intends to fill this yawning gap by

publicizing patterns of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in the University; encouraging the development of structural models of innovation behaviour among

individuals in the university; and

evolving criteria for profiling and celebrating innovative students, employees anddepartments for purpose of awards

undertaking the preparation, publication and dissemination of useful technicalinformation to industries and researchers.

The extension component will have as objectives

to persuade public and private organizations to sustain entrepreneurial culture amongyouths;

design extension programmes to inspire innovative youths in creating technology drivennew firms;

identify several titles on emerging innovation horizons in the University due for funding;and

seek support for research towards evolving an entrepreneurship theory based on theNigerian perspective.

engage in technology transfer activities to the public through training courses anddi i ti f f ibilit t d l id lt i t


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Partnership of the University with the NYSC Benue State Entrepreneurship Initiative (an

example of the University entrepreneurship extension/outreach programme)

The Benue State NYSC entrepreneurship initiative is a scheme where young graduates posted

within the state are being trained in different fields of endeavour, which prepare and give

them entrepreneurship skills and exposes them to the new technological outfits, which makes

them better equipped for job opportunity and self reliance. The University has therefore gone

into partnership with the NYSC to train and equip NYSC members in the following areas:

Garri factory mini industry repairs of existing machine; expert advice and coaching onhow to manage the machines, production and packaging techniques

Factory for fish pond how to build a fish pond and its maintenance, how to brood fishfingerlings and train corps members on its production; expert advice and coaching onhow to manage a fish farm and how to make feeds

Poultry farm repair of old existing farm site; expert advice on poultry keeping, makingfeeds and healthcare of birds

Groundnut paste production what machineries to be used, chemicals needed and how toset up production factory and all equipment; expert advice and coaching on how to

process, package and store

Cassava pellets production machine for production of cassava pellets drying machine,packaging machine, processes of preservation; expert advice and coaching on allprocessing techniques, packaging and maintenance of machines

Fruit juice production extraction, sucking machines, packaging techniques andequipment maintenance; expert advice and coaching on all processing techniques,

packaging and maintenance of machines

The University, through a group of experts, is therefore providing services to the NYSC in

the area of factory building, equipping, maintenance and training of corp members on the

different aspects of processing, packaging, sealing and labelling and getting all processed rawmaterials ready for the market.

2.4.1.5Enterprises Management UnitIt is expected that the Centre would embark on several enterprises to serve as wealth creation,

to provide hands on experiences for both staff and students and for purpose of generating

revenue for funding some of the activities of the Centre. This Unit shall therefore be

responsible for the day-to-day running/operation of all the enterprises responsible for the supervision of all entrepreneurship education practical experience in

the assigned institutional enterprise;

responsible for the welfare and training of all staff; responsible for project execution in line with the project specifications; responsible for procurement, delivery and commissioning of equipment for all project

i


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2.4.2 Entrepreneurial Curriculum Development and Implementation Department

The universities need to be accountable to the students, parents, government and the generalpublic. Employers are wary of the university products in Nigeria and they are in need of

competent graduates. The public service is right sizing and the government is promoting

private sector initiatives. In the face of current realities, universities are being called upon

not only to tailor curricula to local labor market needs, but also to build entrepreneurs who

can be on their own. The universities in Nigeria should start by tailoring the curriculum to

meet the demands of the industry and that of a self reliant graduate. For example, new

curricula can be introduced to encourage students in public health to use their knowledge in

community projects. The curriculum development and implementation department willconsist of three units:

Entrepreneurship Counselling Unit College/Departmental Entrepreneurship Courses Coordinating Unit Students Entrepreneurial Organisations Unit2.4.2.1Entrepreneurship Counselling Unit

The students need to be given counselling in the areas of entrepreneurship. First, the students should avoid all bad behaviours and vices, namely cultism,

examination malpractice, drunkenness among others and face their studies. Previous

record shows that students that indulge in these vices rarely graduate from the university.

If they manage to graduate, they go on and build a career in crime and usually end up

badly as they become target of security agents. Besides, the natural law of what you sow

is what you reap will always take its full course.

Second, to become entrepreneurial, the students should always demand for better andpractical knowledge from their lecturers. This they can do not by carrying placards or

insulting their lecturers but in a polite and respectful manner.

Students can equally improve their performance by forming study group/innovation clubsand associations. Study groups share material, ideas and information about latest

developments in their areas of study. Study groups help students to develop a practical

orientation to problem solving as they brain storm and seek solutions to problems. Study

group/innovation clubs should not be strictly for studying for examination. Such clubs

will develop new ideas and if possible bring it to the market place through the help of

their lecturers and the university administration.

Skill acquisition should be the watchword of any student who wants to be entrepreneurial- ICT skills, Language Skills, Engineering skills, among others. At the end of each

vacation, a skill thirsty student would have picked up one skill. Who said that a graduate

of engineering should not possess tailoring skills, or that a graduate of linguistics should

not be an ICT specialist or a programmer. Hard work pays.


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industry and to become self reliant after graduation. The era of training students to meet the

demands of public service has gone.

The goal of the college/departmental entrepreneurship courses is to inculcate in the traineesthe ability to:

assess his/her strength and ability; seek information and advice; make decisions; plan his/her time and energy; carry through an agreed responsibility; communicate and negotiate; deal with people in power and authority; solve problems, resolve conflict; evaluate performance and use feedback to improve; and cope with stress and tension; and achieve self confidenceThis may be achieved through the implementation of the following work schedules by the

coordinators at the college/departmental levels as follows:

arrange the composition of the training team for the entrepreneurship courses; arrange the experiential enterprise training for the students for the entrepreneurship

courses

collate result of students in the entrepreneurship courses; submit reports on the implementation of the curriculum for the entrepreneurship courses

as appropriate;

arrange the logistics of entrepreneurial extra-curricula activities and out of class learningvisits for students in an entrepreneurship course;

coordinate/supervise all activities of the entrepreneurship courses; design and organize the on-the-job training workshops for all staff involved in the

teaching/coordination of entrepreneurship courses every semester;

make recommendations on the composition of the teaching team for each course; design and organize the train-the trainer workshops for all staff every semester; and carry out all other duties as may be assigned by the DirectorTypical Curriculum Re-engineering in University of Agriculture, Makurdi:

In order to train students who will graduate to be job creators and not job seekers, the

University introduced a General Studies course GST 213: Basic Management and

Entrepreneurial Skills (2 Credits) for all 200-level students in the University. At the level of

the College of Engineering another General Engineering Studies Course has been introduced

EGS 302: Entrepreneurship Studies (2 Credits) for all 300-level students of the College At


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adopted in all other Colleges and Departments in the University. The major impediment to

curriculum changes at the level of institutions is the fact that the NUCs minimum standard

seem actually to be the maximum standard.

2.4.2.3 Students Entrepreneurial Organisations Unit

There are two students entrepreneurial organisations currently operating in the University of

Agriculture, Makurdi. There is therefore the need for the coordination of the activities of

theses student organisations and other similar ones that may come up in the future.

(a) Students In Free Enterprise (www.sife.org)

Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) is a unique worldwide organisation that strategically links

students, universities and businesses. SIFE encourages the personal and professional

development of new business leaders, the creation and exchange of new research, the

dissemination of successful business practices, teaching of others how to succeed, and a high

level of communication between all parties. SIFEs mission is to provide tertiary students the

best opportunity to make a difference and to develop leadership, communication, and

teamwork skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of enterprise and

innovation in a market economy. SIFE students take what they are learning in their

classrooms about business and use such to solve real life problems for real people. SIFEs

vision is helping people achieve their dreams through free enterprise education and providing

students the best opportunity to make a difference by developing leadership through

teamwork and teaching others the principles of free enterprise.

The vision and mission of SIFE is to direct students mind and soul and body from its early

stage into ethical self-reliance mode. To achieve this, is to directly involve and create in

students mind the values of entrepreneurship and free enterprise through the learning,

practicing and teaching of leadership, teamwork and communication skills. It is the businessof SIFE to inculcate early in life, the idea of fending for ones self and not always aiming and

waiting for government jobs and other employments; how to be ones own boss by starting,

developing and managing business; how to help change the poor life in our community, other

communities as well as what they learn in the classroom and use their knowledge to better

communities as well as establish a variety of communities outreach programmes that teach

free enterprise. It teaches concepts such as planning organizing, budgeting, accounting,

supply and demand. SIFE judging criteria is anchored on Market Economics, Success Skills,

Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, Business Ethics and Program Sustainability.

Aptly captured, the MISSION of SIFE is to provide College and University students the best

opportunity to make a difference and to develop leadership, teamwork and communication

skills through learning, practicing and teaching principles of FREE ENTERPRISE. The

VISION of SIFE which is helping people achieve their dreams through free enterprise


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The University of Agriculture as an institution is a member of this worldwide organization.

The University administration as a matter of policy encourages the students by sponsoring

their trips for SIFE organized competitions. SIFE-UAM Team has successfully executedseveral world class SIFE projects which has imparted and created economic opportunities for

hundreds of people within Benue State. All these projects individually meet the SIFE

assessment criteria and have earned the University many awards.

(b) Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies, Nigeria (www.aes_nig.edu ).

Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies (AES) is an initiative of the Organized Private Sector

(with members drawn from Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Institute of Directors(IoD), Nigeria, Chambers of Commerce, Nigerian Society of Engineers, etc) and the Public

Sector (the Academia and Public Service). Its main thrust is the development of leadership

and entrepreneurial spirit in all fields of endeavor. It is both managerially and motivationally

oriented, mobilizing students to be visionary, wealth creators, economically viable,

financially independent, and above all, to be mentally and physically healthy to enjoy

acquired wealth.

The AES Vision: To build world class workers, leaders and entrepreneurs with character,

while perfecting the effectiveness of the existing ones as role models.

The AES Mission: To offer training and degree awarding programmes for students, workers,

leaders and entrepreneurs geared towards creating wealth, eradicating unemployment,

mediocrity in the work place.

The membership of the Academy which is categorized into three namely; Fellow (F.AES),

Member (M.AES), Associate (A.AES) is open to all undergraduates, fresh graduates

(NYSC), prospective and practicing entrepreneurs, business leaders, civil servants, bankers,

workers in the private and public sectors, managers, traders, civil servants, assistant/deputydirectors, and directors in the civil service and government parastatals, and everyone who

desires success and has met the criteria for such membership. The benefits to members

include:

Avenue for networking with other well established and accomplished technocrats,business leaders and government functionaries.

Opportunity to contribute to governments budget proposals and periodic budget analysisthereafter.

Job opportunities Local & International Access to business opportunities - locally and internationally Sound academic and practical training on entrepreneurship, leadership and career. Exposure of members to financial matters and windows for business finance. Development of spirit of excellence and enterprise in the workplace. Benefit from micro credit scheme and cooperati es for creation of enterprises amongst


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Discussion/Rebate at major hotels, airlines and membership clubs nationwide. Use of the acronym A.AES/M.AES/F.AES, after ones name. Free Group Personal Insurance cover against accident, injury or death. Referral to embassies for visas for foreign business trips. Opportunity for nomination for National Productivity Award and other National Awards Status and level upgrade in their organizations. Opportunity to parley with various tiers of government. Opportunity to benefit from National Independence Award to recognize the contribution

and accomplishment of our outstanding members.

To encourage students to register with the academy, the University of Agriculture, Makurdi

Administration has approved a guaranteed financial incentive of 3,000 NGN per student forany student who wishes to register under AES special package for institutions.

2.4.3 Entrepreneurship and Industrial Research Department

The entrepreneurship and industrial research department will have the following units:

Technology Incubation Unit Science, Technology and Engineering Infrastructure Unit Industrial Research Unit Raw Materials and Research Development Unit Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Unit Technology Acquisition and Promotion Unit Biotechnology Development Unit Information Technology Development Unit2.4.3.1 Technology Incubation Unit

The National Technology Incubation Programme (TIP) is a variable institutional mechanism

for commercialization of research and development results. It is an integrated support

programme designed to assist budding entrepreneurs in the development of new technology-

based firms both start-up and fledglings. It seeks to effectively link talent, technology, capital

and know-how to leverage entrepreneurial talent in order to accelerate development of new

companies and speedy commercialization of R&D and innovation. It also help in value

reorientation by creating an environment for changing the attitude towards personal initiative,creativity innovation, risk-taking and entrepreneurship. The policy thrust of the Technology

Incubation Programme is to pursue the commercialization of technologies and technical

innovations using Technology Incubation as a tool in order to enhance the economic

competitiveness of the country and improve the quality of life of its citizens. This Unit will

key into the objectives, scope and schemes of the National Technology Incubation


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To closely monitor the development of prototypes of machines, equipment and toolswhich could be passed on to the manufacturing units for commercial production

To encourage the production of machines and equipment, partly or fully as per marketacceptability.

To practically demonstrate research and development results in such critical areas aswaste utilization, energy saving, etc.

To practically help in ensuring that new ideas/products evolve into fruitful technical/manufacturing business using the abundantly available raw materials.

To help in solving specific process problems for client entrepreneurs by continuouslyinjecting innovation in materials processing.

To offer engineering services such as design testing, process/product performancemonitoring and improvement as well as training and general consultancy to cliententrepreneurs.

To liaise with relevant academic departments and centres in the design, development andproduction of improved tools for use by rural artisans for increasing their productivity and

earning capacity.

To design tailor made/crash programmes for entrepreneurs and industrialists to keep themabreast with the latest technology.

To provide assistance to the private sector in the creation and enhancement ofinstitutional and technical infrastructure so that they can compete in the internationalmarket

The scope of the Technology Incubation Programme is to nurture the development and

commercialization of:

Low technologies - Manufacturing of simple equipment and machineries; Upgrading oftraditional technologies; Hand crafts, etc.

Medium technologies: Manufacturing of electrical and electronic components andequipment; Chemical processes and manufacture of plastics items; Manufacturing ofscientific equipment

High technologies: Biotechnology processes and products; Information andcommunication technology software and hardware; artificial intelligence; Robotics.

Emerging technologies: Advanced materials; Nano technologies and OthersIt is expected that NBTI would establish a Technology Incubation outfit at the University

level which will accommodate the following schemes:

Pre-Incubation: Pre-incubation are the activities of the entrepreneurs (staff and students)prior to admission into the incubation program.

Incubation: (a) Resident Incubation - In this scheme, entrepreneurs are tenants of thetechnology incubation programme where affordable share facilities such as working

spaces, central workshop, equipment and laboratories, offices hands-on management

assistance , access to financing, networking, and exposure to critical business and


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2.4.3.2 Science, Technology and Engineering Infrastructure Unit

This Unit aims at establishing and nurturing an appropriate and dynamic Science,Technology and Engineering infrastructure base for achieving home initiated and home

sustained industrialization through the development of relevant processes, capital goods and

equipment necessary for job creation, national economic well being and progress. The Unit

will function specifically in the area of capital goods research, production, and reverse

engineering with respect to the following six broad areas:

Engineering materials (notably irons, steels, non-ferrous metal and alloys, plastics, glass,ceramics, polymer electronics and nanotechnology); industrial and analytic chemical

materials including industrial gases; Scientific equipment and components for education, research and industry; including

measuring instruments, electronic components, communication equipment and

computers;

Engineering accessories (mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and electronic); Power equipment (generation, transmission, distribution, prime movers); and Mechanical Engineering tools (power tools, hand tools, cutting tools and machine tools).In most societies, despite the ideology of free enterprise and in the face of competing needs,Governments, nevertheless, play a catalytic role in the nurturing and provision of consistent

support for the Science, Technology and Engineering sector aimed at manufacturing, and in

Research & Development. This latter is in order to gain National advantage and because of

the attendant multiplier effect of such expenditure in the National economy.

Science, Technology and Engineering is a necessary and obligatory expenditure in any

society desirous of rapid economic growth. For instance, information already exists for the

development or acquisition to build infrastructures, alleviate poverty and grow the economy.

What is required is the framework for domesticating these and bringing them to usable

intellectual products. The target of this Unit would be to domesticate or innovate existing

technologies to further advance the quality of products, create new products or find better

ways of innovating existing processes or technologies. It is only in this way that the

indigenous human and material capacity for rapid industrialization can take place.

The Unit is therefore expected to conduct developmental work in the areas of manufacturing

and thus coordinate the proliferation of technologies developed either within or outside the

University including patents obtained. Technologies so developed in the areas of spares,components and systems engineering are to be transferred to entrepreneurs for the production

of goods and services. Nigeria can have the benefit of a rapid technological development by

strengthening

Engineering Infrastructure Science Infrastructure


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2.4.3.3Industrial Research Unit

The Unit aims to promote technological activities and industrialization of the nationaleconomy through research and development. The primary objective is to assist in accelerating

the industrialization of the Nigerian economy through finding industrial utilization for the

countrys raw materials and upgrading indigenous production techniques. The long-term

expectations of the objective and mandate are:

To conserve Nigerias foreign exchange earnings by reducing dependence on foreigngoods, through the development of local substitutes from locally available raw materials.

To improve the nutritional qualities of Nigerian foods, which are known to be deficient inthe essential body-building food properties.

To improve the indigenous, traditional techniques of production which are labour-intensive, time consuming, energy sapping and unable to cope with the modern market

demands.

To engage in the design and fabrication of machinery and equipment, development offoundry processes and materials, analyses of metallurgical materials, casting of iron and

aluminum, and machining of spare parts.

To provide chemical raw materials for industries and to screen local woods for suitabilityfor pulp and paper production.

To engage in research and development up to pilot stage, in areas of food science andengineering research, development and fabrication of equipment and machine prototypes.

The Unit will also render services within the framework of its technical capability and

cooperation with the public. Through these services, it will put its human resources and

expertise, as well as its infrastructural facilities, at the disposal of real and prospective

industrialists within and outside Nigeria. Thus assisting them in solving their problems

concerning raw materials, process know-how, machinery and equipment, etc. The services to

be rendered to the public and external corporate organisations are:

Sponsored Research - Government agencies and non-government local and internationalorganizations can commission the Unit to carry out research works on their behalf and at

their expenses. It is expected that the projects would be generally for the benefit of the

public and that the sponsoring organizations would rarely have any private commercial

interest in them. The results would therefore be made available, both to the sponsors and

any interested persons.

Contract Research - Private companies could commission the Unit to carry out researchon contract basis, on agreed fees and terms. The fees charged would cover use ofequipment, consumables, staff time, overheads and incidental costs. Results would be

kept confidential and communicated only to the clients.

Analytical Services - The analytical laboratories in the University have a wide range ofinstruments with a team of analysts constituting an impressive mix of microbiologists,

bi h i t f d t h l i t t i l i t ll f th hi hl lifi d ll t i d


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safety evaluation checks on foods, food products drinks, water, cosmetics, etc, for the

purpose of registering such products with NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drug

Administration and Control) and for ascertaining standards and specifications set by SON

(Standards Organization of Nigeria). The chemical analyses cover: protein, total sugar,fat, crude fibres, ash, moisture, carbohydrate, trace elements (sodium, calcium and

others), calories, vitamins and cholesterol. Microbiological analyses cover: counts of total

aerobes, yeasts and moulds, coliforms, etc; detection of Salmonella, Shigella and

Staphylococcus and other pathogenic species; plant sanitation analysis; spoilage

diagnosis; thermal death time studies; microbiological assay of vitamins and amino acids

and consumer complaint investigations. Non-metallic mineral materials analyses would

specifically focus on ceramic materials which concerns particle size, porosity, water

absorption, tensile strength, compression strength, thermal expansion, loss of ignition,carbon and sulphur contents.

Consultancy and Counselling Services - These are services to be rendered to the public bythe Unit to assist prospective investors to investigate the economic viability and financial

profitability of proposed production ventures. The services, amongst others would

include; surveys of markets, ascertainment of raw materials availability, identification of

appropriate know-how, and sourcing of machinery and equipment, on behalf of

prospective investors. These services would be very helpful to small-scale industrialists

who can hardly afford to engage commercial firms for same. Apart from meeting requests

for these kinds of services, the Unit would also prepare pre-feasibility reports on its

completed projects to encourage businessmen to take up such projects for

commercialization.

Engineering Services - The Engineering College of the University would render variousservices to meet the internal needs of research and development work, as well as to

industries and the general public. For research and development works, the Unit in

collaboration with the College of Engineering would design and fabricate machinery and

equipment needed to demonstrate the technical feasibility of completed projects. For the

industrialists interested in commercializing its projects, provision of all or some of themachinery and equipment, together with plant installation service will be required, and

for others, complementary technical services will be provided. The engineering services

to be rendered to the public shall include:

Design and fabrication of equipment and machinery Cutting of various types of gears Machining of spare parts Production of cast components of iron and aluminium materials. Glass blowing Refurbishing of sparking plugs Electroplating of metals Metal forming, rolling, cropping and aluminium welding Heat treatment - annealing, normalising, case-hardening, tempering, etc Foundry Casting


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Body and hair pomade production Adhesives from gum arabic and cassava starch Cassava processing into fufu flour, gari, lafun, starch and detoxified cassava

starch Beniseed and other seeds oil extraction Electroplating of metals Spark plug refurbishing Edible mushroom cultivation production Bread and confectionery baking (including the use of composite flour

&production of soy-snacks)

Dry milling of rrains and legumes

Instant pounded yam flour production Fruit juice extraction Zobo drink production

Industrial Extension Services - These services would entail visits to multinationals, large,medium, and small scale industries for the purpose of seeking to know and proffer

solutions to their problems. The visits to the multinationals would however, have a

different objective, namely to discuss areas of cooperation and explore possibilities of the

Unit carrying out contract research for them.

Textile Testing and Quality Control Services - There are facilities in the Department ofHome Science and Management for carrying out textile testing and quality control and

assessment tests. Such tests would be carried out at the request of local textile firms, most

of which cannot afford the cost of setting up these facilities. All types of fibre, yarn and

fabric, including carpets shall be tested for various quality parameters, such as yarn length

and strength. Quality control tests would be carried out on raw textile materials,

intermediate and finished products to include quality assessment of textile/carpet yarns

and examination of colour fastness.

2.4.3.4Raw Materials and Research Development Unit

This Unit will execute its mandate by focusing on agricultural and agro allied products,

industrial chemical and minerals, and industrial plant and equipment. A decision to invest in

resource processing depends on the information of what resources are available. Through this

unit, CEDKT would provide valuable information to investors, industrialists and researchers

on available raw materials, their locations and reserve estimates, physico-chemical properties

and uses within the environment. This will ultimately lead to the establishment of resource-

based industries which provides new job opportunities and contributes to the nation's grossdomestic product. The Unit will provide industrial support services and promote new

resource-based investments. This will be achieved through survey of resources in the

environment and provision of raw materials information to industrialists and investors. Also,

the Unit will organize investors forums to sensitize investors on the feasibilities of projects

for which there is comparative advantage. In addition, the Unit will promote the


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Process Equipment and Plant Manufacturers" will be kept to provide market linkages

between equipment manufacturers and users and to promote domestic market for locally

fabricated equipment and machinery.

Building of domestic capacity for engineering designs of process equipment culminatingin better efficiency, replicability, and finishing/sophistication of equipment andmachinery manufactured locally.

Pursuing research efforts for development of industrial products, process technologiesand utilization of local raw materials and to encourage the commercialization of such new

industrial ventures.

Promoting new resource-based investments through joint-venture projects and technicalsupport services by providing for prospective investors, advisory and technical support

services which include equipment sourcing and feasibility studies on local resource-basedindustrial projects.

Promoting agro-industrial raw materials production (improved seeds and seedlings)through increased productivity of agricultural raw materials since low capacity utilization

of many agro-based industries in Nigeria has been linked to shortage of primary

agricultural raw materials.

Promote studies on organo-mineral fertilizers as well as organic fertilizers as alternativesources to the more expensive, scarce and non-environmentally-friendly inorganic

fertilizers. In addition, the Unit would pursue local development of planters, shellers,decorticators, threshers and chipping and slicing machines. Efforts will also be made in

the area of poultry, cattle, fish and other animal products.

Serve as a formidable resource Unit by making data available for use in fiscal policymaking.

The Unit will play advisory roles with respect to policy statements of Government andformulations on industrial raw materials matters.

Serving as focal point for local, national and international collaboration on raw materialsdevelopment

Promoting industrial raw materials research innovation and utilization through rawmaterials local content alternatives in line with the local content bill passed by the

national assembly in Nigeria. There is need to identify and recognize organizations and

individuals which have made outstanding contributions towards the development and

utilization of local raw materials as industrial inputs and use of indigenous technologies

to encourage and stimulate such developments by others

Constantly creating increased awareness on Nigeria's raw materials, their locations andreserves, their potentials, development and utilization to ensure that their full potentials

are exploited adequately for the well-being of the citizens.

2.4.3.5Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Unit

Poverty, due to lack of access to income-earning opportunities and lack of capacity to take

d f h i i i i l l i h i h i l b l i i


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The operating strategy of the Unit shall be a core of lean, competent and highly motivated

staff, an ICT driven operation process and partnership that works. The guiding principles

shall be Outreach (reaching as many MSMEs as are crucial and imperative to achieve the

goal of an MSME led economic growth, industrialization and job creation); Sustainability(deliberatively creating exit and succession strategies, whenever necessary); Impact

(commitment to delivering measurable results) and Efficiency (cherishing quality service

delivery on one hand, and the MSMEs on the other, in the most cost-efficient manner).

The Unit will work as a coordinating and facilitating Unit with the following major goals and

programmes:

Source, process and disseminate business information: Create and regularly update databank on MSMEs, raw materials, markets, available local technologies/machinery andprototypes;

Policy development - Participate in the formulation, approval and implementation ofMSME policy for Nigeria; Conduct impact assessment studies and use same to

recommend improvements in policy intervention; Conduct regular stakeholders' fora;

Develop business support programmes to provide the following services: Model businessplanning skills; mentoring professional service such as accounting, financing and book

keeping; industrial dynamics and technology assessment; legal and taxation advisory

services; demonstration models; general business consultation/clinical services;

Capacity building and promotional services: Vertical linkages of MSMEs with largeenterprises; Organization of MSMEs into clusters and co-operatives to enhance their

productivity and have easier access to factors of production, including finance;

Arrangement/facilitation of trade and technological exposition; Provision of market

support information system; Encouragement and facilitation of new investments in

designated priority areas.

Establishment of industrial parks: Provide intellectual support towards facilitating theestablishment of Industrial Parks offering capital intensive technologies.

Enhance MSMEs access to finance: Liaise with financial institutions to harness and poolresources for utilization by MSMEs; Attract foreign investment and funds for the

development of MSMEs; constantly liaise with other institutions for the establishment

and operation of an MSME Credit Guarantee Schemes.

The Unit shall function as follows:

Stimulating and monitoring the development of the MSMEs sector, Initiating and articulating policy ideas for micro, small and medium enterprises growth

and development, Promoting and facilitating development programmes, instruments and support services to

accelerate the development and modernization of MSME operation.

Serving as vanguard for rural industrialization, poverty reduction, job creation andenhance sustainable livelihoods.

i ki S i l d l f fi i h l d


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Organization (NGOs) and Business Membership Organization (BMOs) in the MSME sub-

sector of the economy and The Federal Government (through a functional feedback

mechanism).

2.4.3.6 Technology Acquisition and Promotion Unit

NOTAP has established an Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) in

University of Agriculture, Makurdi to promote interaction and strengthen the linkage between

University/Research Institutions and Industries. Consequently NOTAP advised that the

University should appoint a Head of the IPTTO who should be a person of acclaimed

research efforts in innovation creation as well as strong links with industry and the market, in

order to ensure successful execution of the mandate of IPTTO. The IPTTO is designed to

develop a robust intellectual Property Rights portfolio through patenting, copyright,

technology licensing; to support the Institution's initiative in developing patent culture. The

IPTTO also sets into motion the formal system of incentives and reward that encourages

individual researcher to be involved in partnerships. There is need to strengthen the activities

of the IPTTO.

The Technology Acquisition and Promotion Unit of the CEDKT would therefore render a

number of technology related services to industries, entrepreneurs, researchers, inventors and

innovators in the areas of technology transfer agreements; intellectual property rightpromotion; provision of the state of the art technology information; commercialisation of

research and development results; research-industry linkage; monitoring, consultancy and

extension services; technology advisory services etc. The details on the services to be

facilitated include:

Technology Transfer Agreements Intellectual Property Right Promotion Patent Information and Documentation Commercialization of R&D/Inventions Research and Industry Linkage Monitoring Consultancy and Extension ServicesThis Unit will facilitate the utilization of Intellectual Property (IP) system in the University; it

will enable the University to use IP system as a source of technology information and a

source of generating wealth and income. The functions of the Unit, among others, shall

include:

Sensitizing the university community on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). Determining the patentability or copyright ability of Intellectual Property Rights. Evaluating the commercial potential inventions. Assisting with appropriate Intellectual Property protection issues Locating suitable commercial development partners.


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Refining University technologies through standardization of process and products readyfor marketing.

The Patent Information and Documentation would involve documentation of a network ofinformation contained in patent documents from various parts of the world, thus enabling the

Unit have access to technological information which can be made available free of charge to

interested entrepreneurs, industrialists, researchers, patent agents/attorneys and investors for

national development. Users will be enabled to have access to the following information:

the search report carried out in patent documents and on line data bases; information on equivalent patent documents and on patent literature cited in examination

procedure or identified in documentary searches;

information on the legal status of published patent applications and granted patents; copies of individual patent documents; and search and examination reports of applications for patentsThis service would confer the following advantages among others:

saves a lot of resources in terms of time, labour and costs; prevents avoidable exercise on unimportant researches; eliminates project repetitions and re-inventing of the wheels; provides linkage opportunities between the University researchers and their counterparts

at the national and international levels; provide a summary of inventions, a description of the inventions and how it differs from

the prior art, and the claims that defines the scope of the invention.

The culture of patenting is abysmally low in Nigeria and seems to be non-existent in the

University. This Unit will assist local inventors patent their inventions at the Patent Registry

in NOTAP. The Unit will also be positioned to further take advantage of the proposed

NOTAPs expansion of its linkages with research communities in Nigeria with a view to

creating a platform that would integrate WIPONET services and other IP-based supportservices to facilitate rendering such services to the public when WIPONET is fully

established.

The Unit will also have the responsibility of offering technical expertise towards evaluation

and registration of technology transfer agreements signed between Universities based

entrepreneurs and their foreign technical partners. The objectives of evaluating technology

transfer agreements are to ensure that:

The terms and conditions contained in the agreements are equitable and fair to contractingparties;

Payments involved in the agreements are commensurate with the obligations beingrendered by the transferors;

Adequate safeguards for effective transfer of know-how to indigenous enterprises areincluded in the terms and conditions of the agreement;


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Monitoring the implementation of technology transfer agreements/contracts would be one of

the mandates of the Unit. The fundamental objective of the monitoring exercise is to ensure

that there is an efficient and effective adaptation, absorption and diffusion of foreign

technologies acquired by University based innovators through collaboration with theirtechnical partners in the execution of industrial projects. The monitoring programme provides

the window through which technology gaps and other technical and socio-econo

edkt paper for senate.centre proposal.2

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