Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday hailed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s transformative impact on the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. According to him, the institute’s efforts have helped raise over $1.5 billion and created more than 30,000 direct jobs in 20 years.

He urged African entrepreneurs and professionals to close ranks to fully harness the continent’s enormous potential. Shettima said collaboration is critical to leveraging MIT’s resource-mobilisation networks and job-creation opportunities.

The VP made the comments when he received a delegation from Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025- 2026 led by MIT’s Executive Director for the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, on a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa. Shettima called for unity of purpose among African professionals and entrepreneurs.

He said: “Africa is the new frontier and the future belongs to the continent, but its people must unite to transform potential into tangible results that impact lives and livelihoods.

“Africa is blessed with enormous human and material resources, but its people must fuse into one to benefit from the tremendous opportunities that abound across the continent.” According to him, President Bola Tinubu is leveraging available opportunities to transform the economy.

He said: “President Tinubu is not afraid of taking bold decisions that will reposition Nigeria’s economy and better the lives of the people.” Sherif said they were at the Villa to brief the VP on the activities of the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, which she described as being dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world”.