Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, has underscored the need for Nigerian universities to transform from centres of knowledge consumption into engines of value creation.

Ezemonye made the call during the opening ceremony of the university’s Entrepreneurial Skill Acquisition and Employability Training, themed “The Role of the Corporate Affairs Commission in Youth Entrepreneurial Development.”

He said the global measure of education has shifted from the number of graduates produced to the number of problem solvers, job creators, and innovators nurtured by institutions.

“The world no longer measures education by the number of graduates it produces but by the number of problem solvers, job creators, and innovators it nurtures,” he said.

According to him, entrepreneurial thinking should bridge the gap between the classroom and the community, theory and transformation, and potential and performance.

“What exactly is entrepreneurial thinking? It is not just about starting a business but cultivating a way of seeing and responding to the world with curiosity, creativity, and courage,” Ezemonye stated.

“Entrepreneurial thinkers identify problems as opportunities for innovation, see scarcity as a call for creativity, think critically, and understand that failure is not final but formative.”

He added that in a rapidly changing global landscape, a well-educated graduate must be agile, innovative, and equipped with practical skills to address real-world challenges.

“The world now demands a graduate who is innovative and practically competent to solve real-world problems. This understanding birthed and sustains this crucial annual training programme,” he said.

Ezemonye explained that the goal of the initiative is to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, transforming students into economically empowered and self-reliant change agents.

Director of the university’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition (CESA), Dr. Mary Josiah, described the programme as a milestone in IUO’s efforts to equip students across disciplines with the skills and mindset needed to succeed in today’s competitive environment.

“The university’s passion for entrepreneurship development aligns strongly with the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) directive to integrate entrepreneurial education into tertiary curricula, ensuring that our graduates are not only employable but also capable of creating jobs,” she said.