UNILAG Hosts UK FCDO Delegation, Showcases Funded Projects on Innovation and Entrepreneurship
University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday, December 9, 2024, welcomed a high-level delegation from the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), led by its Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Charlotte Watts.
UBA CHIDINMA 
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Monday, December 9, 2024, welcomed a high-level delegation from the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), led by its Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Charlotte Watts. The visit focused on assessing two FCDO-funded initiatives at UNILAG: the Innovation to Market (I2M) project and the Lancaster University Entrepreneurship Training Project.
The FCDO team began their engagement with a courtesy visit to the UNILAG management, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS. In her welcome address, Prof. Ogunsola expressed gratitude to the FCDO for entrusting the university with these impactful projects, reaffirming UNILAG’s commitment to delivering on its responsibilities.
In her remarks, Prof. Charlotte Watts commended UNILAG for its progress and achievements with the FCDO-funded initiatives, pledging continued collaboration to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education.
Following the courtesy visit, the FCDO team participated in interactive sessions with stakeholders from the two projects. Prof. Watts expressed satisfaction with the execution of the initiatives and praised the dedication of the project teams.
Innovation to Market (I2M)
Led by Dr. Abiodun Gbenga-Ilori under the Innovation and Technology Management Office (ITMO), I2M aims to create an ecosystem that drives the commercialization of innovations and research from across Nigeria. It also seeks to foster inter-university collaborations to enhance research-to-commercialization outputs in Nigerian institutions.
Lancaster University Entrepreneurship Training Project
This initiative, headed by Prof. Uchenna Udeani, focuses on improving entrepreneurship training in Nigerian universities, with UNILAG being one of the 14 pioneering institutions. Implemented by Lancaster University, England, the project’s findings are expected to inform the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) policies on entrepreneurship education.
The visit underscores UNILAG’s role as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, with its achievements paving the way for transformative collaborations in higher education.
