The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Research (CEDR) of the University of Nigeria was established in 2006 for two main reasons:

  1. To partner and collaborate with McArthur Foundation who sought to partner with entrepreneurial universities in Nigeria.
  2. The then University Administration had the vision of making the University of Nigeria an internationally recognized entrepreneurial University.

The Centre officially took off by utilizing existing structures belonging to Centre for Rural Development and Cooperatives and Ulasi Business Centre both at Nsukka and Enugu campuses of the University respectively. However this is temporary and just to enable the Centre commence operations. At take off, the Centre inherited its pioneer staff from the CRDC and within that period employed many more staff and had a total of about 50 staff scattered between Nsukka and Enugu campuses. The Centre, from inception has had three directors to date, first Director of the Centre is Prof. A.I. Ikeme, others are Prof. Chuks Ezedum, and Prof. C.U. Okoye who is the current director.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right from inception, the CEDR has worked tirelessly to position herself as a top rate entrepreneurship and development research centre. In 2007 it became the first University owned entrepreneurship centre to be commissioned by Central Bank of Nigeria to teach and inculcate entrepreneurial culture in the South eastern part of Nigeria. In 2008, the CEDR made a proposal to teach entrepreneurship to all penultimate and final year students of the University of Nigeria which was approved by the University Senate. The CEDR has taken entrepreneurship education to town and has trained traders, mechanics, artisans, and other apprentices in both some relevant skills and entrepreneurship. Recently, an ultra Modern office complex has been built for the Centre at Enugu Campus of the University and there are plans to put up a permanent structure for the Centre’s head office at Nsukka Campus of the University.

Since its establishment in 2006, the CEDR has undergone considerable transformation aimed at effectively delivering along the line of its objectives which include: developing entrepreneurship spirit amongst Nigerians and providing insight into the tools, techniques and framework for managing all functional areas of business enterprises, including production, marketing, personnel and finance; developing skills of would

be entrepreneur to successfully start, expand, diversify, and manage a business enterprise as well as link them with financial institutions for startup capital, especially the Micro Finance banks; generating employment opportunities for Nigerians. In fact the CEDR in its activities is contributing in realizing the goals of the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS).