FUNAAB Partners NUC, TETFund, GETrust to Strengthen Entrepreneurship Education

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), in collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and GETrust, has commenced a three-day capacity-building programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of academic staff in entrepreneurship education.

The programme, which began on September 14, 2026, at the CENTS Auditorium, was organised by the University’s Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies (CENTS) and focused on the theme, “Teaching Entrepreneurship Using Effectuation.”

Declaring the programme open, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olusegun Idowu, commended the Director of CENTS for organising the training, describing it as an important initiative towards strengthening entrepreneurship education across the University.

The Vice-Chancellor urged participants to engage actively with the sessions and ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired were effectively transferred to students to foster an entrepreneurial mindset and produce graduates who would not only seek employment but also create opportunities for themselves and others.

He also charged the facilitators to share practical experiences and teaching approaches that could be adapted by academic staff across various disciplines, while wishing the participants a fruitful and rewarding experience.

In his goodwill message, the Director of CENTS, Prof. Sakiru Akinbode, highlighted the strategic importance of entrepreneurship education and the pivotal role of the Centre in mainstreaming entrepreneurial learning across the University’s Colleges.

Prof. Akinbode explained that effectuation provides a practical framework for teaching students, particularly those outside business-related disciplines, how to make decisions and take action under conditions of uncertainty by leveraging their existing resources, knowledge and networks.

He called on participants to actively engage in the programme and develop practical teaching modules that could be integrated into FUNAAB’s curriculum.

The first facilitator, Dr. Abubakar Adamu of the University of Maiduguri, delivered sessions on pedagogical principles for teaching entrepreneurship to non-business students, as well as the background and core principles of effectuation.

He explained that the approach was built around five core principles: Bird-in-Hand, Affordable Loss, Crazy Quilt, Lemonade, and Pilot-in-the-Plane.

The second facilitator, Dr. Olufunke Jenyo, focused on the Bird-in-Hand principle, explaining that it encourages entrepreneurs and students to begin with what they already possess, including who they are, what they know and whom they know, rather than waiting for a perfect business idea or external funding.

According to her, the principle promotes immediate action by encouraging individuals to leverage existing personal assets, including their skills, experiences and social connections.

She noted that the approach was particularly relevant to non-business students, whose discipline-specific knowledge and expertise could serve as valuable resources for venture creation.

The three-day programme is expected to enhance the capacity of FUNAAB academic staff to deliver entrepreneurship education that is experiential, inclusive and aligned with global best practices in effectual thinking.