Overview / Executive Summary
The value of entrepreneurship is that it brings about sustainable job and wealth creation through continuous innovation. The entrepreneurship education strategy fits into the vision of a New Niger by supporting the development of the skills necessary for contributing to the economic growth of the State. It seeks to establish job creators rather than job seekers and provide a skilled workforce by providing high-quality entrepreneurship training and skill acquisition to all school-aged children in Niger State. This is accomplished by ensuring that private enterprises, NGO and research institutions are included in the development and delivery of the entrepreneurship education strategy so that it reflects the mindset and skillset embodied in the entrepreneur; thus, equipping individuals with the skills necessary to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by a fast-moving, globally integrated knowledge economy.
Background / Context
Niger State is the largest state by land area in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the state government is implementing a strategy for using the state’s natural resources to drive economic growth. Within this context, the Niger State government hired a team of consultants from MRL® Public Sector Consultants who conducted focus group meetings and interviews in 18 of the 25 wards in the State in July 2024. During these discussions, participants were asked to provide insights into their own understanding of entrepreneurship education and the importance they placed on this type of education.
Problems / Challenges
The biggest challenge centres around the current state of crisis in the education sector in Niger State related to lack of infrastructure and materials, security concerns, lack of qualified teachers and other issues, all of which hinder the teaching of entrepreneurship in schools.
Solution
Partnerships with private enterprises and appropriate NGOs to help develop and deliver entrepreneurship education could overcome the challenges as described above.
Execution / Implementation
The development of the Niger State Entrepreneurship Education Strategy would be 5 years, with each year having specific implementation activities and targets. This strategy takes into consideration the current economic situation as well as the crisis in the education sector. Key to the implementation of this strategy is the development of key relationships with the Niger State business community as well as with appropriate NGOs.
Results and Impact
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) have been included as a driving force behind the implementation of the entrepreneurship education strategy, to be carried out by the State Steering Committee and the State Project Implementation Unit in collaboration with key stakeholders. Importantly, M&E would leverage on an intra-project consultation and communication to ensure that there is reliable generation of feedback and its utilisation to track and assess the progress, opportunities and challenges of implementing entrepreneurship education in the school system.
Key Takeaways / Lessons Learned
Conclusion & Call to Action
Entrepreneurship education for school-aged children is increasingly recognised as essential for fostering innovation, self-employment, and economic growth. This strategy recognises the importance of integrating entrepreneurship into the education curriculum for all school-aged children. Given the current crisis in the education sector, it is imperative that state agencies secure partnerships and collaborations with the private sector and appropriate NGOs to support the development and implementation of a sustainable entrepreneurship education strategy.
Project Information
