The Vice Chancellor Babcock College, Ilishan -Remo, Prof Afolarin Ojewole, has disclosed that the varsity is ready to convene a high-level gathering of world know-how leaders, innovators, and policymakers on the AI & Babcock Innovation Enterprise (BIV) Commercialisation Summit 2026.
Professor Ojewole whereas making this identified on Saturday hinted that the excessive degree gathering is to carry between April 21–22, 2026, on the college’s BUTH 600-seater of the College.
The Vice Chancellor famous that the two-day summit goals to speed up enterprise creation and deepen the adoption of synthetic intelligence throughout Africa and that the discussion board will deal with sensible pathways for constructing, funding, and scaling globally aggressive, AI-driven enterprises.
Professor Ojewole who additionally doubled because the Chief Host identified that the imaginative and prescient of the initiative is to showcase the establishment’s dedication to creating a strong innovation ecosystem by means of the Babcock Innovation Enterprise (BIV), and the significance of aligning technological development with human values.
“Earlier than we are able to turn out to be higher builders or entrepreneurs, we should first turn out to be higher people. Effectivity with out transformation is simply pace within the unsuitable route,” he stated.
The Vice Chancellor added, ” We wish to put all these into the market in order that researchers can start to earn from their mental properties. It will additional encourage productiveness and reward for labour.”
Talking additional, Professor Ojewole pressured that the college has made deliberate investments to make sure college students are outfitted for the longer term, bridging the hole between tutorial studying and the skilled world of startups and established enterprises.
He stated the summit underscores the establishment’s dedication to equipping college students with sensible Twenty first-century abilities past theoretical information and that the summit is the deliberate operationalization of the Babcock Innovation and Enterprise Centre (BUIV), envisioned as a devoted commercialization hub.
Emphasising that the summit aligns with ongoing efforts by the Federal Authorities of Nigeria to reposition universities as hubs for synthetic intelligence and innovation, he declared that the centre will allow the college to remodel analysis, innovation, and knowledge into market-ready merchandise, permitting researchers to derive {economic} worth from their mental property.
“Babcock College is leveraging this momentum to strengthen linkages between academia and trade, notably by means of its Entrepreneurship Improvement Centre, which promotes innovation-driven enterprise management”.
Stressing the necessity for a paradigm shift towards sensible competence and business viability, Prof Ojewole stated success in at present’s world economic system is more and more pushed by abilities quite than certificates.
“The world not rewards certificates however abilities. Empowerment with out enterprise training is incomplete. Our innovators should be each technically proficient and commercially conscious.
“The college’s “From Storage to World” initiative, alongside programmes such because the Digital Progress Workshop and the Babcock Modern Enterprise Problem (BEIC), continues to foster a vibrant innovation ecosystem throughout the establishment,” he stated.
The occasion is predicted to draw key authorities stakeholders, together with the Visitor of Honour, Kingsley T. Udeh, Minister of Innovation, signaling sturdy federal backing for initiatives that bridge academia and trade whereas members are to learn from insights from a global lineup of consultants, together with Abdullah Alsalmani, Nissi Madu, Arvind Ravishunkar, Nicky Verd, Opa Peter Obadare, Bekere Amassoma, Folawemi Umunna, Charles Nnaji, and Okikioluwa Onamade and the summit is predicted to ship actionable insights into leveraging synthetic intelligence for innovation and {economic} development.
Attendance is free, and the college has inspired college students, lecturers, and trade stakeholders to reap the benefits of the chance to achieve transformative information and abilities.
members can register through the official summit portal at www.babcockinnovation.com/occasions.