Innovation Hubs are Laudable, but it's not enough.

Moniepoint recently announced the launch of innovation hubs across three Nigerian universities: Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). Tosin Eniolorunda, co-founder of Moniepoint, pledged one billion naira to each institution, a total investment of three billion naira. The vision is to prepare undergraduates for life beyond the university by equipping them with practical and technological skills while bridging the gap between academia and industry. 

This initiative is a laudable one. Innovation hubs have proven to be spaces that bring together entrepreneurs, startups, investors, and industry leaders, improving employability and driving economic growth. What makes university-based innovation hubs unique is their ability to draw on a university’s research expertise, talent pool and knowledge networks while addressing real-world challenges and market needs. Rather than allowing research and innovation to remain within academic settings, they create pathways for collaboration, commercialisation and practical impact. For Moniepoint, investing in such a hub presents an opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, support talent development, foster entrepreneurship and encourage the creation of locally relevant solutions. Over time, the hub could serve as a platform for research translation, venture creation, industry partnerships and economic growth. 

While building innovation hubs is an important step, the real challenge lies in ensuring they deliver. Nigeria has university innovation hubs such as the UNILAG Innovation Hub, Covenant University’s iHub, and UNN’s Roar Nigeria Hub already in existence; however, their impact has been modest. Assessments show that many of these centres struggle with weak industry linkages, inadequate funding, and limited mentorship, which makes it difficult to translate student creativity into scalable products or jobs. According to the Nigeria Innovation Hubs Assessment Report (ISN/GIZ/EU, 2026), most hubs report activities like training and hackathons but rarely track measurable outcomes such as employability or commercialisation.

The current situation must be understood against the backdrop of earlier entrepreneurship initiatives introduced into the Nigerian education system: first are the general entrepreneurship courses, and now the EIBIC programme, a mandatory entrepreneurship development scheme for students in tertiary institutions. EIBIC runs alongside academic programmes from first year to graduation. These are commendable efforts by the Ministry of Education. However, they still carry significant uncertainty regarding their practical contribution to real development.

A recurring limitation is that the underlying vision of these initiatives remains narrowly focused on founding new companies, launching apps, and producing “entrepreneurs”, rather than strengthening the scientific and technological foundations of the economy. With EIBIC, there is also the risk that it becomes yet another certification-driven exercise rather than a catalyst for structural transformation.

This is where university-based innovation hubs become important. Unlike traditional entrepreneurship programmes, they bridge the gap between research and industry by connecting students, academics and industry partners in one ecosystem focused on collaboration, prototyping and commercialisation 

This is where Thels Impact Consulting (TIC), a leading higher education technology consulting firm, can make a difference. TIC focuses on streamlining administrative processes, integrating advanced IT solutions, and creating vibrant tech communities on campuses. We can support university innovation hubs in the following  ways:

1. Designing impact-driven programmes:

TIC can help universities design programmes that go beyond hackathons and fairs, focusing instead on practical learning, project development, and entrepreneurial thinking. The emphasis is on measurable outcomes such as prototypes developed, start‑ups launched, and students gaining employable skills rather than one‑off events. By embedding clear goals and accountability, hubs can demonstrate real impact that is both feasible and visible. 

2. Building mentorship systems that go beyond workshops:

A major weakness in many university innovation hubs is the absence of sustained mentorship. Far too often, support ends with a single workshop or guest lecture, leaving students without the long‑term guidance needed to turn ideas into practical ventures. TIC can help these hubs establish structured mentorship programmes that connect students with founders, researchers, start‑up operators, and industry professionals.

3. Connecting universities with the right industry partners:

Many innovation hubs struggle because they operate in isolation from the wider technology ecosystem. TIC can bridge this gap by linking universities with R&D experts, industry partners, futurists, technology providers, innovation experts, employers, and professionals who bring real‑world knowledge and opportunities. These partnerships ensure that hubs are not just innovation spaces per se but active gateways into industry and entrepreneurship.

4. Turning research into viable products:

University research often struggles to move beyond academic results.Through initiatives such as Research for Industry and Impact, TIC helps ensure that university research does not just remain academic output. Instead, it is shaped into proper collaboration between researchers and industry partners, so ideas can move closer to practical application.

In the same way, Thels i-Labs reflects TIC’s approach to one of the biggest gaps in university ecosystems: the weak transition from student undergraduate research into actual ventures. Through i-Labs, this research will create opportunities for innovations where research, innovation, and entrepreneurship can grow into actual startups and practical solutions right within the campus system rather than outside it.

As we wrap up, keep in mind: building an innovation hub is only the first step. The next phase is creating the right structures, systems and varied pathways to build skills, provide mentorship, and improve employability. As Moniepoint’s innovation hubs begin to take shape across OAU, UNN, and ABU, their long-term success may depend not only on infrastructure but also on the systems and partnerships that support them. Thels Impact Consulting is ready to work with these innovation hubs in moving from infrastructure to structure by providing the frameworks, systems, and implementation support needed to make them effective.