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By: Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has commended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for its transformative contribution to the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, which has generated over 30,000 direct jobs and mobilised more than $1.5 billion in investments within two decades.
This was disclosed in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), dated 14th January, 2026.
Senator Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday while receiving a delegation from the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025–2026, led by the Executive Director of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Vice President urged African entrepreneurs and professionals to close ranks in order to fully harness the continent’s vast human and material potentials, stressing the need to leverage MIT’s global resource mobilisation networks and job creation platforms.
“Africa is the new frontier. The future undoubtedly belongs to our continent, but only if we unite to convert our enormous potential into tangible results that improve lives and livelihoods,” he said.
He added that while Africa is richly endowed, meaningful progress would only be achieved through collective effort, collaboration, and strategic partnerships.
Senator Shettima also noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to repositioning Nigeria’s economy through bold and visionary policies.
“President Tinubu is not afraid of taking courageous decisions that will transform Nigeria’s economic landscape and deliver better living conditions for our people,” he stated.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dina Sherif, explained that the visit was to brief the Vice President on the activities and global impact of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, which she described as a platform dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world.”
She noted that the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship Programme has played a key role in strengthening entrepreneurial capacity across Africa, adding that Nigeria remains a leading force within the continent’s startup ecosystem.
Sherif emphasised the importance of stronger collaboration among African startups and reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to expanding support for Africa-based innovators through its various initiatives.
Also present at the meeting were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, alongside fellows of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025–2026 session drawn from different African countries.
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