From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The UNIZIK Business School (UBS), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, is pioneering practical academia, government and industry collaboration towards igniting a new level of business innovations that would yield massive benefits to all stakeholders in return.
At the Quarterly Business Roundtable in Awka, organised by the school in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Industries, Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, stakeholders agreed on the establishment of the Anambra Business Innovation Council that will fasten the transformation and realisation of both government objectives, the industrialists agenda as well as the research contributions of the academia in Anambra State and the entire Igbo communities in the southeast.
At the roundtable, Anambra State Government, through the Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, who represented Governor Soludo, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening entrepreneurship and enhancing service delivery through strategic collaborations with the UNIZIK Business School. He commended the organisers and participants for their commitment to a development-oriented dialogue. He reiterated that the governor assumed office with a clear vision for the state’s development and emphasised the need to institutionalise the roundtable as a regular platform for engagement.
The roundtable brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on pathways for repositioning Anambra State and Nnamdi Azikiwe University in alignment with shared goals of inclusiveness, innovation, and skills acquisition.
In his welcome address, the Director of UNIZIK Business School, Prof. Pius V.C Okoye, expressed optimism that the partnership would yield significant gains in research, technical development, and youth empowerment. He noted that the quarterly roundtable serves as a convergence point where academia meets industry, allowing theory to be tested against practice in a rapidly evolving global environment.
Prof. Okoye described the synergy as crucial for driving innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth in Anambra State and beyond.
“At the centre of this framework is Prof. Bond Ugochukwu Anyaehie, Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, whose research capacity and human capital management serves as catalysts for innovation. The roundtable represents more than a formal gathering. It is a strategic platform for dialogue and action. It seeks to ensure that research outputs from Nnamdi Azikiwe University are aligned with the needs of industry, while government policies remain responsive to the realities of business across Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi.
“Over the years, UNIZIK Business School has been in the forefront of championing practical business oriented models that lay much emphasis on case studies, real output and business incubation. This maiden UBS quarterly roundtable is geared towards collaborating with Anambra State government in consummating the mandate of His Excellency Prof. Chukwuma Soludo towards industrialisation of Anambra State by sensitising industry leaders, small and medium scale enterprise owners, artisans and innovators.
“This quarterly theme: Anambra Triple Helix Matrix: University, Industry and Government Alignment, is apt. This tripartite model (often called Triple Helix) fosters economic growth by turning research into commercial products, providing students with practical skills, and bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world market needs. It allows UNIZIK Business School to take innovations out of the lab and into the market, transforming theoretical research into usable technology and commercial products. It is believed that this collaboration will enable universities to design curricula based industry needs, providing students with practical hands-on skills, internships and mentoring that boost employability.
“The alignment is recognised as crucial for regional economic development, as it fosters an ecosystem where university researchers, entrepreneurs and established firms share ideas.
As Anambra advances on this path, the collaboration between Nnamdi Azikiwe University, the Chambers of Commerce and the state government offers a clear blueprint for inclusive economic growth. With sustained commitment and strategic execution, the Triple Helix Matrix will not only drive innovation but, also, secure long term prosperity for ndi Anambra” Prof.Okoye noted.
Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Ike Odumodu, emphasised the need for immediate implementation of pilot projects discussed at the forum. He highlighted the importance of sustaining momentum through actionable follow-ups, pointing to ongoing tech-driven initiatives and entrepreneurship programmes such as Igba Boi (apprenticeship) and “One Youth, Two Skills” as indicators of steady progress in the state.
The Lead Paper Presenter, Prof. Osita Ogbu, stressed the importance of empowering researchers to provide practical solutions to societal challenges. He underscored that entrepreneurship is practice-driven and urged stakeholders to move beyond rhetoric to tangible action. He further advocated for stronger collaboration between government and academic institutions.
Earlier, the event was declared open by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Hilda Osisioma, who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie. She expressed confidence that the deliberations would produce impactful outcomes for both the state and the university.
CEO, Orbital Creation and founder Orbital Silicon Valley Ltd, Engr Okafor Emeka, disclosed that the state government cannot do it alone but will only achieve greater heights with the partnership of industrialists and the university.
“Everything is not about government. Anambra has a lot of billionaires whom you can galvanise to pull funds together to get started. The government-community-individual partnership should be x-rayed and it’s going to work.”
Citing the American Revolution and development, Engr Okafor said it’s time for partnership, which is the only thing that can make development faster and easier. It’s an alignment and not that talents are lacking. Anambra is blessed with both human resources and finance, all we need to do is come together, partner, and then we will move forward.
Former Ambassador to Burundi, Dr Elijah Onyeagba, who was a panelist during the discussion segment, noted that an alignment with the state government, the university and industry could bridge the gap.
“We are looking at how our curriculum in the university should be designed to be able to solve the problems of tomorrow as against solving the problems of yesterday. We want a situation where industries can create funding for research and development.”
He stated that part of the policy recommendations from these discussions was to join hands together and improve actions. “Anambra is one of the most urban-based economies in Nigeria and so there is need to introduce innovations and synergy. This is the time to train students with both educational curriculum and practical examples, so that once he or she graduates, there will be no need to start learning again in the labour market.”
Deputy Director, UNIZIK Bussiness School, Prof. Uju Ezenekwe, in a vote of thanks, noted that a blueprint of action plan will be implemented from the discussions raised from the roundtable, which would lead to positive results between now and the next quarterly roundtable.
Other dignitaries present included the Secretary to the Anambra State Government, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor (Office of the Deputy Governor), Dr. Vincent Egbuna; and former Commissioner for Industry in Anambra State, Mr. Christian Udechukwu, among others.
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