North-Eastern University, Gombe has reaffirmed its position as a rising force in entrepreneurial education as it hosted the first International Conference on Business, Finance and Entrepreneurship (IBUFINE 2025).
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that the event convened by the university’s Department of Business Administration, brought together experts, academics, and young innovators to explore “Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development.”
Addressing participants, the Registrar/Chief Executive of the Certified Institute of Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Education (CIEEE), Professor Nuruddeen Oyekola, praised NEU for creating an environment where students are encouraged to merge academic learning with practical skills.
“NEU is building graduates who can stand on their own,” he said, urging institutions across Nigeria to adopt similar models that promote enterprise from the early stages of education.
Professor Oyekola also unveiled the world’s first Entrepreneurship Dictionary at the conference, describing NEU as a university distinguished by its qualified faculty, modern learning facilities, and growing influence in business and entrepreneurship studies.
NEU’s Pro-Chancellor, Dr Adamu Jauro, said the conference reflects the university’s commitment to nurturing creativity and innovation among its students. According to him, NEU is intentionally building an ecosystem that prepares young people to create businesses rather than merely seeking employment.
“Our focus is to raise a new generation of problem-solvers who will drive economic transformation,” he stated.
In his keynote address, Professor Babangida Musa of Gombe State University underscored the importance of integrating Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) competencies into university curricula.
He listed digital fluency, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving as essential skills for the modern workforce, emphasising the need for entrepreneurship to be embedded across all academic programmes.
Students who attended the conference described it as inspiring and life-changing. Yasir Alkali said the discussions broadened his understanding of how to sustain a business beyond its early stages, while Zainab Salihu expressed commitment to championing women’s involvement in entrepreneurship.
A major highlight of the event was the national recognition conferred on NEU by CIEEE. The university received the Entrepreneurship Merit Award, the Most Outstanding Private University in Entrepreneurial Education (North-East Nigeria), and a Certificate of Membership as a Certified Entrepreneurial University.
