VP Shettima to launch Nigeria’s first university innovation pod at UNILAG
Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima is set to formally launch Nigeria’s first University Innovation Pod (UNIPOD) at the University of Lagos on April 7, as part of a nationwide effort to transform universities into hubs of digital talent, enterprise creation, and innovation.
The initiative, a collaboration between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Federal Government of Nigeria, aims to bridge the gap between formal education and the labour market by providing structured platforms where student and researcher ideas can be developed, tested, financed, and converted into viable enterprises.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, described the initiative as “not merely an infrastructure intervention but a deliberate step towards building a coherent national innovation system—one that links talent, research, industry, and investment in a more purposeful manner.”
He added that the UNIPOD programme “underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning our universities as drivers of economic growth, innovation, and enterprise development, addressing the disconnect between formal education and labour market outcomes.”
The rollout will begin with an Artificial Intelligence Pod at UNILAG, with additional UniPods planned for universities in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Nasarawa, Benue, and Borno states.
According to Hadejia, the initiative will equip students and researchers with the necessary skills, tools, mentorship, and financing to develop practical solutions and build scalable ventures.
For her part, UNDP Nigeria Resident Representative Elsie Attafuah said Nigeria is the first country in Africa to take the UniPods model to scale through direct government investment. She said the launch positions Nigeria as a continental leader in building a knowledge-driven economy.
“Together, these hubs form the first cohort of a national innovation network spanning all geopolitical zones,” Attafuah said.
“Through this initiative, Nigeria aims to scale to over 50 universities nationwide, reach more than 500,000 learners with advanced digital and AI skills, support 1,500 to 2,000 startups and student ventures, and unlock large-scale job creation and enterprise growth.”
She added that the programme will be implemented under the National Innovation and Digital Transformation Partnership Programme (NIDTPP), a joint platform between UNDP and TETFund, designed to convert public investments into vibrant innovation ecosystems.
