Teach a man to fish : a case study of entrepreneurship education in conflict-ridden Maiduguri, Nigeria

Abstract

The abduction in April 2014 of more than 250 school girls in Chibok, a small town near Maiduguri Nigeria, drew international attention to the scale of terror unleashed by the dreaded Boko Haram in the region. Stakeholders have recognised the urgent need to tackle the twin problems of poverty and youth unemployment, which are especially high in the region and are associated with high rates of terrorist recruitment. This case study draws from in-depth interviews of key personnel and trainees, as well as memos and documents, to examine how the entrepreneurship education offered by a new centre at the University of Maiduguri is contributing to employment generation and conflict mitigation. Our findings reveal that entrepreneurship education is making significant impact, but upscaling will require additional support through venture capital for nascent entrepreneurs.