The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, is set to receive a major boost as one of its distinguished alumni, Alhaji Salihu Isah Kantigi, the Chief Executive Officer of SoftTech Artists Solutions and Services Limited, pledged to support the institution with fresh investments aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship and innovation on campus.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the University Management ahead of the groundbreaking of a new project at the main campus, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Mohammed Hadi Sulaiman, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor Mohammed Aliyu Bello, reiterated the University’s commitment to working hand in hand with alumni and other stakeholders in advancing development projects.

“We are always happy when our alumni give back to their institution. In great universities like Harvard and MIT, alumni contributions are the bedrock of development. At IBBUL, we still charge one of the lowest tuition fees in Nigeria, which limits our internally generated revenue. Alumni intervention will help us address challenges such as student accommodation, water supply, other municipal services, and expansion of key faculties. We see every alumnus and the alumni body as partners in building what we now call the New IBBUL,” Professor Bello stated.

The Vice Chancellor highlighted that the University has grown remarkably, now boasting of nine Faculties, including new ones like Medicine, Law, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Environmental Sciences, with plans underway for a Faculty of Engineering.

He explained that alumni support will further help the University expand its facilities, attract more regulatory approvals, and increase admission quotas in flagship programmes like Medicine and Law.

On his part, Alhaji Salihu Isah Kantigi expressed appreciation to the University Management for the warm reception, stressing that his intervention was a way of giving back to his alma mater and inspiring others to do the same.

“The essence of Alumni Association is not only to give back, but also to bring us together as a family. We have already commenced work at the designated site for the project, and by tomorrow, we will lay the foundation. Beyond this, SoftTech will partner with the Entrepreneurship Centre to invest in key areas like the bakery unit, soap production, ICT hub, and training programmes for students. This is just the beginning we will reach out to more alumni, within Nigeria and abroad, to return and contribute to the growth of the University,” Kantigi stated.

The Director of the Centre, Professor Idris Ndagi, described the development as a “major breakthrough,” noting that the Centre has been working to commercialize student products and showcase innovations at events such as the Niger State Trade Fair. He added that the new facility, coupled with alumni support, will provide a platform to market products such as herbal hair creams, fashion items, tire stain removers, and food products developed by students.

With this renewed collaboration, the IBBUL Entrepreneurship Centre is poised to become a hub of innovation, enterprise, and self-reliance, preparing students not only for the job market but also to become job creators.