Self-reliance: 1,000 UniAbuja Students Now Business Owners – VC

The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja(UniAbuja), Prof. Rasheed Na’Allah, has disclosed that more than 1,000 students of the institution have registered their private companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Na’Allah, who disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Monday, said his goal was to reposition the University students to become global citizens.

He said the University, in the last four years, has created a solid relationship with the industry to boost the potential of students.

“We are the partners of Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry. We are not just an ordinary partner, we are a major partner. We work together in so many things. Every year in December, we celebrate our partnership to count what is it we have achieved and we always come back to review our achievement.

“The industries are constantly working with us and everytime we are always seeing something new. One of the newest things for example this time around is that more than 1,000 students have registered their companies with CAC.

“Students having companies is incredible and these students some of them are graduating, some are in 300 level with opportunities to even practice the companies that they registered.

“And what we are saying to our students is that we are not only giving you certificates to go and look for employment, we are charging you to employ yourself and create wealth. We are charging our students to change their mindset and not think that government is there.”

He maintained that no student will graduate from the university without having a company registered.

Speaking on the school fees increment across universities in the country, he said what students were paying is not fees but charges, which have been increased by institutions given the current economic realities that have affected every sector.

The Vice Chancellor also said the University has opened room for investors to come and invest in new hostels on the campus to address shortage of accommodation, calling on Nigerians to come to the campus and build hostels with the assurance that they can make more profit.

He further said the university was looking to set up an Entrepreneur Fund, which will look for philanthropists to put money in.

“Our goal is that this Entrepreneurship Fund will later be available for our students who have graduated and are looking for funding support,” the VC stated.