15/05/2026
As part of efforts to strengthen innovation-driven partnerships between academia and industry, Thinklab Group recently hosted participants of the Executive MBA programme from Nile Business School for a strategic engagement focused on evaluating and advancing the organisation’s flagship entrepreneurial initiative, Thinkpreneur.
The engagement formed part of a collaborative exercise designed to assess the impact, structure, and effectiveness of the Thinkpreneur 1.0 programme and the Thinkaton initiative, while also developing practical recommendations and innovative models for the next phase of the programme, Thinkpreneur 2.0.
Prior to the interactive sessions, the Executive MBA participants delivered a detailed presentation highlighting their findings, strategic observations, and proposed steps toward strengthening the initiative. The presentation reflected research-driven insights and practical solutions aimed at enhancing entrepreneurship development, innovation sustainability, and youth empowerment within the Thinklab ecosystem.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chairman of Thinklab Group, Dr. Sa'id Alkali Kori commended the students for their professionalism, intellectual depth, and commitment throughout the exercise. He encouraged the participants to remain focused on academic excellence, leadership, innovation, and value-driven impact, noting the importance of young professionals contributing meaningfully to national development through entrepreneurship and problem-solving initiatives.
Key representatives from Thinklab Group present during the engagement included Executive Director, Corporate and Shared Services, Braimoh, who also served as the organisation’s liaison between Nile Business School and Thinklab Group; Executive Director, Projects and Operations, Arc Chu; Group Head, Corporate Affairs and Strategy, Fauziya Nasir ; Group Head, Business Development, Okezie; and Group Head, Finance, Tijani Adaba.
The participating Executive MBA students included Team Lead, Reuben Opara Ngofa, alongside AbdulRaseed Iyima, Japhett Nyinfawa, Obiora Ulasi, Muktar Ahmad, Ummy Mustapha, Professor Petrus, Ogah Onyeka, and Taslim Ajibade.
Also present was their supervising lecturer, Dr. Hauwa Lamido Abubakar, who joined the presentation to provide academic guidance and oversight throughout the engagement.
Speaking during the session, the students expressed appreciation to Dr. Sa’id Alkali Kori for what they described as his kindness, openness, and passion for social impact and entrepreneurship development. They noted that opportunities to meet visionary leaders committed to job creation and youth empowerment are rare, adding that they felt privileged to be part of the engagement and looked forward to stronger collaboration between both institutions in the future.
Dr. Hauwa Lamido Abubakar also commended the Chairman of Thinklab Group for providing the students with such a valuable opportunity to apply academic knowledge to real-world business and entrepreneurial challenges. She expressed confidence in the capacity of the students, assuring the organisation that they would deliver meaningful contributions and uphold the confidence reposed in them.
Thinklab Group described the collaboration as part of its broader commitment to promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and practical problem-solving through strategic partnerships between academia and industry. According to the organisation, the engagement provides an important platform for harnessing fresh perspectives, professional expertise, and research-based solutions that will significantly contribute to the future development of Thinkpreneur and other entrepreneurial initiatives under the Thinklab ecosystem.
The visit further underscores the growing importance of industry-academic collaborations in shaping sustainable business solutions, nurturing entrepreneurial talent, and driving transformative ideas capable of creating long-term impact across Nigeria’s innovation and enterprise landscape.
