of student entrepreneurs at UNIMAID

The sound of a phone notification can mean different things to different students. For some, it might signal a new message from a friend, a reminder about an assignment, or an update from a class group. But for student entrepreneurs, the same notification could mean that a customer has placed an order, made an inquiry, or requested a delivery. On the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) campus, such notifications are increasingly becoming part of the daily routine of students who combine academic pursuits with small businesses.

Across campus, some students are gradually turning their skills, creativity and personal interests into sources of income. Between classes, homework, exams and other academic responsibilities, they produce goods, deal with customers, advertise their products, process orders and negotiate sales. While their businesses range from baking and clothing to digital services and other forms of commerce, they share a common experience: trying to build an income-generating business without allowing it to interfere with their education.

For many of these students, entrepreneurship isn’t just driven by ambition. The rising cost of education and daily living has made financial independence an important consideration for some young people. Rather than relying entirely on allowances from parents or sponsors, some students are looking for ways to generate additional income to meet their personal needs and reduce the financial pressure on their families.

Grace Misimadji Simeon, a 300-level mass communication student who makes and sells sweets, is one of the students who ventured into entrepreneurship after realizing that her tuition allowance was no longer enough to meet all her needs. According to her, the main motivation for starting the business was a lack of financial means, as she needed an additional source of income to support herself while she continued her studies. He eventually started the business in 2025 with the intention of becoming less dependent on his parents and using his skills to create an income for himself.

Grace’s entry into entrepreneurship was also supported by her father, who provided her with the capital needed to start the business and paid for her professional training. The support gave her the opportunity to turn what she had learned into a practical means of earning money while staying in school. His experience also illustrates the importance of family support in helping young people go from simply having an idea or skill to creating a small business.

Running the baking business has given Grace more control over what she produces, how she markets her products, and how much she earns from her efforts. Unlike depending solely on a fixed allowance, entrepreneurship gives her the opportunity to determine the prices of her products and profit from her sales. Even though the company remains small, it gives her hands-on experience in manufacturing, customer relations, pricing and financial management — skills that could remain useful long after she graduates.

However, the decision to combine entrepreneurship with a college education does not come without difficulty. Students who run businesses must constantly divide their attention between customers and their academic responsibilities. Classes, homework, exams and personal study already take up a lot of time, while companies require students to respond to customers, process orders, make deliveries, promote their products and manage finances. The challenge therefore is not simply to start a business, but to find a sustainable way to keep it running without compromising academic performance.

Umar, a 400-level medical laboratory science student involved in crypto marketing, YouTube automation, as well as buying and selling materials for clothing, jewelry and gadgets, knows this challenge firsthand. He explained that some of his activities require considerable attention, making it difficult to divide his time effectively between academic work and business activities. For him, one of the most difficult aspects of being a student entrepreneur is constantly having to decide where his attention is most needed at any given moment.

The pressure also affected his sleep pattern. Umar explained that he had to sacrifice a significant portion of his sleep time in an attempt to balance school, work and rest. This means that while entrepreneurship offers the opportunity to earn money and gain experience, it can also place additional physical and mental demands on students who are already dealing with the pressures of a university education.

The experience raises a larger question: whether students can successfully maintain a business without sacrificing their academic responsibilities or well-being. For some, effective time management can be a solution, but the reality is that sometimes unexpected orders, customer requests, exams and academic deadlines can occur simultaneously. When this happens, students may find themselves choosing between attending to their own tasks, studying for exams, or getting enough rest.

For Catherine Temitayo Adeyemo, an accounting student who sells clothes online, the relationship between business and academia was more complex. He believes his business has affected his education in both positive and negative ways. While corporate responsibilities sometimes create additional pressure, the experience has also helped her become more disciplined, responsible and aware of how she uses her time.

Through running her business, Catherine has gained hands-on experience balancing classes, self-study, client relations, order processing, and financial management. He has also developed knowledge in accounting, budgeting, marketing and entrepreneurship, areas that connect directly with his academic discipline. In this sense, her business has afforded her the opportunity to apply some knowledge gained in the classroom to real-life situations, giving her practical exposure that may not always be available through academic classes alone.

However, the benefits do not eliminate the challenges. Catherine explained that periods of heavy orders, deliveries and messaging customers can become stressful and consume time that would otherwise be spent studying or resting. In these moments, he sometimes has to make a difficult choice between caring for his clients and dedicating enough time to academic work. His experience reflects the broader reality of student entrepreneurship: Running a business can develop valuable skills, but it can also become a source of pressure when demands increase.

Despite these challenges, student entrepreneurship is increasingly becoming a practical avenue through which young people develop skills and create opportunities while still at university. Motivation is not necessarily limited to making money. For many students, it’s also about gaining practical experience, developing independence and preparing for a job market where a university degree alone may not guarantee immediate employment.

Khalifa Abubakar, social director of the Students’ Union Government (SUG), believes that the growing interest in entrepreneurship among students is partly linked to the need to acquire skills beyond academic qualifications. He noted that the current economic situation makes it increasingly difficult for students to depend entirely on monthly allowances from their parents or sponsors. In his opinion, students need to find legitimate ways to support themselves and at the same time acquire skills that can become useful after graduation.

The growing number of student businesses also represents an opportunity for the university community to create a more favorable environment for young entrepreneurs. Instead of letting students run their own businesses informally and independently, the university could provide platforms where they can display and market their products. One possible approach is to organize regular trade fairs and entrepreneurial expos where student entrepreneurs can present their products, meet potential customers and learn from each other.

Such platforms could also help create stronger links between entrepreneurship and education. Students studying accounting, mass communication, business administration, computer science, and other disciplines could use their activities as practical avenues for applying knowledge in the classroom. The university could further support this process through entrepreneurial training, mentorship, business competitions, and partnerships with organizations that provide funding or technical assistance to young entrepreneurs.

For students like Grace, Umar, and Catherine, entrepreneurship is becoming an important part of their college experience. Their stories show how some young people are responding to financial pressure by turning their skills and interests into opportunities rather than relying entirely on financial support from their families. At the same time, their experiences demonstrate that student entrepreneurship requires discipline, sacrifice, and effective time management if it is to successfully coexist with academic responsibilities.

Between classrooms and work activities, these students learn lessons that aren’t always found in the classroom. They are learning how to deal with customers, make decisions, manage money, handle pressure, promote products, negotiate sales and take responsibility for their own income. These hands-on experiences can potentially provide them with valuable skills as they prepare to enter an increasingly competitive job market after graduation.

Their businesses may be small, but their importance goes beyond the products they sell or the income they generate. For the students who follow them, entrepreneurship represents an opportunity to develop independence, gain practical experience and prepare for life beyond university. If properly supported, student entrepreneurship could become more than just a survival strategy; could serve as a pathway through which young Nigerians develop the confidence, skills and experience needed to create opportunities for themselves and others.

Thlama Maina Samuel,

Department of Mass Communication 300L, University of Maiduguri, Borno State