According to reports from the Voice of Nigeria, the newly-established Muhammad Kamaludeen University in Ilorin, Kwara State, has announced plans to provide $1,000 in start-up funds for students eager to explore entrepreneurship opportunities.

During the university's inaugural matriculation ceremony, Vice Chancellor Prof. Rasheed Jimoh revealed this initiative, highlighting its significance in fostering critical thinking and preparing students for global competitiveness.

The VC said the university introduced the initiative to equip the students for critical thinking and prepare them for global competition.

He said, “One of such initiatives was the development of innovative courses such as MKU-GS 112 – Initiative thinking and idea creation, purposely to equip our students right from their first semester with necessary entrepreneurship and innovative skills for seamless navigation of emerging economy.

“As a follow-up to this course, the university shall facilitate registration of startup companies for the selected viable ideas generated by teams of students through the Corporate Affairs Commission and assist the startup to scale through investments in the companies. The goal is to achieve MKU's startup with over $1,000 before registration. The management engaged an expert outside Nigeria to teach this course.”

Jimoh said the university had taken off with 15 academic programmes approved by the National Universities Commission, expressing the confidence that by October this year, another set of students will be admitted for additional new programmes.

A former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu, announced the donation of a building worth N50m to the new university.

The matriculation ceremony also featured the investiture of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, as the Chancellor; while a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Shuaib AbdulRaheem, was announced as the university's pro-chancellor.

In his remarks, the chancellor urged those seeking university admission to take advantage of the uniqueness of MKU.

The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, was represented at the event by his Senior Adviser/Counsellor, Alhaji Saadu Salahu.