Yobe State University (YSU) has matriculated 2,240 students for the 2025/2026 academic session, urging them to prioritise innovative entrepreneurial skills as a means of tackling unemployment and poverty in the state.

The students, drawn from seven faculties and the College of Medical Sciences (CoMS), were also cautioned against indiscipline and other misconducts both on and off campus.

Addressing the matriculating students on Wednesday at the university’s main campus in Damaturu, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Mohammed Bashir Tahir, said there is a strategic shift in job creation from overreliance on the public sector to a more organised private sector in the country.

He said the institution is intensifying efforts within available resources to equip students with innovative entrepreneurship skills.

“Your various disciplines are designed to prepare you for self-employment and success in the private sector of the state economy,” he said.

“Our aim is not just to prepare them for government jobs. We want to train admitted students who can create employment or seamlessly integrate into innovative private enterprise.”

Prof. Tahir also commended the Federal Government’s Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), describing it as a crucial support system for students facing financial challenges.

He, however, warned against examination malpractice and drug abuse, stating that offenders would face strict disciplinary action.

The University Registrar, Alhaji Isa Audu Dallari, congratulated the new students and urged them to adhere strictly to institutional rules and regulations.

Similarly, the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Sani Isah, advised the fresh students to balance academics with co-curricular activities, while cautioning against excessive use of social media and distractions that could affect their studies.

Breakdown of admissions shows that the Faculty of Sciences recorded the highest intake with 935 students, followed by Social and Management Sciences with 525. The College of Medical Sciences admitted 465 students, while Education, Arts, Law, and Agriculture recorded 121, 74, 67, and 53 students respectively.