CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT (CED) IN BRIEF

The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED), Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto was established in 2012 with the mandate of providing and equipping students and the community with sustainable entrepreneurship knowledge, skills, culture, innovation and professionalism. The centre provides full range of business education and support services for students and the community. It also provides in-depth assistance and practical model for every stage of business development from concept evaluation through start up, growth, expansion and beyond.

 Extending entrepreneurship education skills acquisition to the University community and general public on a continuing education platform via practical short-term certification courses and weekend consultancy services. The proposed certification programmes are:

1. Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
2. Entrepreneurship Start-up and Venture Creation
3. Entrepreneurship for Business Growth

Organizing workshops/training for final year students to prepare them to face the challenges of labour market. These include training them on how to explore opportunities within their specialized field of study to create something of value and or enterprises.

Organizing Business Plan/Pitching Prize competition targeting state government and other sponsorship.

Collaboration with practicing entrepreneurs, professional bodies and industries for comprehensive programmes for the community.

Networking events that will bring the UDUS Alumni Entrepreneurs together to share their experience with our students and give back to the school as well.

Developing linkages and partnership with donor agencies, private sectors, civil society organization and individual philanthropist especially from the catchment states of the University in training young undergraduates in various skills and in attracting additional funding to the University.

Establishing Entrepreneurship research journal at the centre which will encourage research in the area and also see to commercialization of University researches.

Training of students and the community on skills acquisition, which will also give the centre opportunity to have its own brand of products for income and revenue generation in the following areas: – Bakery – Catering and Event Management. – Software Development, Web Design, graphic design & App. Development – Mobile phones Repairs – Fisheries, Poultry and Cattle Breeding. – Bee Keeping and Honey Processing – Green House Farming – Video, Photography and Cinematography – Perishable goods storage – Solar Drying Technology – Renewable Energy Technology – Leather goods processing – Pottery and ceramics productions

The Director of the centre Dr. Maryam A. Koko is a senior lecturer in Business Administration with Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. She earned a Ph.D., MBA and B.Sc. from the same university where she has continued to specialize in entrepreneurship development.  She has published widely, with her papers appearing in local and international journals including International Journal of Business, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Novel Research in Marketing Management and Economics, IOSR Journal of Business and Management, and American journal of operations management and information system and other national.

Mal. Gado Bature is the Entrepreneurship Officer who assists in supervising and coordinating activities between students and other stakeholders. He holds B.Sc. and MBA from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.