A new innovation drive targeting Nigerian universities is set to begin as Vice-President Kashim Shettima prepares to unveil the first University Innovation Pods (UniPods) at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), aimed at turning students’ ideas into viable enterprises.
The launch set for April 7, 2026, is an initiative aimed at transforming the ideas and skills of young Nigerians into viable enterprises.
The first UniPod is a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative developed in partnership with the Federal Government to address the gap between formal education and the labour market, serving as a bridge between academic learning and practical solutions to real social and economic challenges.
Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, who announced the initiative at a press conference on Wednesday, said it is not merely an infrastructure project but a strategic effort to build a coherent national innovation system that connects talent, research, industry, and investment in a more structured and purposeful way.
UNDP Nigeria Resident Representative, Elsie Attafuah, said five additional institutions will form part of the first cohort, including Nasarawa State University, Keffi, focused on mining technology; University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on green and blue economy; Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia, on manufacturing and trade; Benue State University, Makurdi, on agriculture and food systems; and the University of Maiduguri on resilience and recovery.
She described the selected institutions as the first cohort of a national innovation network spanning all geopolitical zones, noting that Nigeria’s youthful population, over 60 per cent of about 220 million people under the age of 25, represents a major demographic advantage.
The UNDP said it plans to scale the UniPods to more than 50 universities across the country, equip about 500,000 learners with artificial intelligence skills, and support up to 2,000 startups.
