On Friday, September 18, 2026, innovation took centre stage at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), as the Bank of Industry (BOI)-UNILAG Incubation and Co-Working Hub, located within the Entrepreneurship & Skills Development Centre (ESDC), hosted the unveiling of the Étude Mobile Application.
The launch marked another milestone in the University’s growing ecosystem for entrepreneurship, technology and innovation, while highlighting the journey of a homegrown idea from a student innovation competition to a fully developed digital product.
Étude, an edtech platform developed by WalterSam Global Technologies Ltd, is designed to widen access to quality learning through engaging, curriculum-aligned digital experiences.
The ceremony opened with remarks by the Minister of Education, Dr. Moruf Tunji Alausa, CON, represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Mr. Adebayo Onigbanjo. Speaking on the support the initiative enjoys under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Mr. Onigbanjo pointed out the Federal Government youth entrepreneurship support programme launched in 2025.
He noted that through this support programme, the work and potential of young innovators such as Samuel O. Johnson, the graduate of UNILAG first came to wider attention, contributing to the journey that has culminated in the Étude launch.
According to the Minister, the occasion represented not only a milestone for UNILAG but also an important example of what government-backed youth innovation can achieve. He commended the University for helping to set the pace in Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, noting that homegrown innovations such as Étude provide a practical model for connecting young Nigerians with skills, technology and opportunities.
Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Prof. Foluso Afolabi Lesi, welcomed guests with a compelling vision for the future of learning.
Addressing the audience, Prof. Lesi emphasised that technology is fundamentally reshaping how people communicate, collaborate and access information.
“Reimagining education is not about replacing the classroom with technology. Rather, it’s about expanding what the classroom can become, creating learning experiences that are more accessible, engaging and responsive to the diverse needs of today’s learners.”
He went on to highlight UNILAG’s commitment to creating environments where knowledge is applied to solve real-world problems. Platforms such as Étude, he noted, reflect the University’s core mission of ensuring that graduates leave with problem-solving skills and adaptability, not just degrees.
Taking the stage for the first keynote address, the Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Chief Idris Olorunnibe, spoke on “Technology as an Enabler of Education, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship”.
He stressed that strong digital infrastructure remains fundamental to developing youth-driven solutions and building sustainable ventures across the country. According to him, young Nigerians can fully translate their ideas into viable solutions only when they have access to the right digital tools, platforms and support systems.
The occasion also provided an opportunity for him as an alumnus of UNILAG to also reflect on Samuel Johnson’s journey, from his beginnings as a young man from Mushin to finding direction and support through the University’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including the Enterprise Programme and the GDI Creative Centre.
That journey, he noted, has continued to produce results, culminating most recently in Samuel becoming the first postgraduate recipient of the Federal Government’s ₦50 million equity-free Student Venture Capital Grant.
For him, Samuel’s story represents the kind of Nigerian innovation that must be deliberately nurtured, supported and enabled to grow. It also demonstrates what can happen when young people with ideas are connected to the infrastructure, mentorship and opportunities required to transform those ideas into sustainable ventures.
Bringing an academic perspective to the conversation, Chairman of the International School Lagos (ISL) Board and Professor of Marketing at UNILAG, Prof. Bola Dixon-Ogbechie, delivered a presentation titled “Inclusive Education Across Generations: Bridging Experience and the Digital Generation”.
Her message centred on the importance of bringing together the deep, hard-won experience of seasoned educators and the technological fluency of today’s youth. She emphasised that truly inclusive and accessible learning environments must be built at that intersection.
The gathering also featured perspectives from some of the University’s leading voices in innovation and entrepreneurship, including the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, FAS.
His presence at the event was particularly significant, given his connection to the early stages of the innovation journey that led to the development of the Étude Mobile Application. It was during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor that the idea behind the application was first pitched at the maiden edition of the UNILAG Business Innovation Competition in 2021. The idea emerged as the winning innovation, marking an important milestone in what has since evolved into a more developed entrepreneurial venture.
Delivering a keynote address titled “The Evolution of Education in Nigeria: From Traditional Learning to the Future of Education”, Prof. Ogundipe reflected on the changing face of education and the role of innovation in preparing young people for the future.
He also spoke about the importance of continuity in the University’s innovation culture, noting that initiatives that begin under one administration can be strengthened and taken further by succeeding administrations.
For Étude, that continuity is evident in the journey from a winning idea presented by a student team in 2021 to a fully developed mobile application unveiled several years later.
Similarly, the Executive Director of the UNILAG Business School, Prof. Sunday Adebisi, addressed the strategic link between venture creation and academic growth in a presentation titled “Entrepreneurship Education: Building the Skills and Enterprise for a Sustainable Economy”.
In a special address titled “From Innovation to Impact: Building Sustainable Enterprises in Education”, the Independent Non-Executive Director at UBA, Mrs. Henrietta Ugboh, charged young founders to design business models built for long-term societal resilience rather than short-term gains.
The emotional high point of the event came when the CEO of WalterSam Global Technologies Ltd, Mr. Samuel Olamilekan Johnson, took the audience through the Étude story: why it was built, the problem it seeks to address, and what it took to bring the idea to life.
A proud product of UNILAG, Johnson earned his first degree from the Department of Physics in 2023 and is currently a postgraduate student at the University. Nurtured within the University’s incubation hubs, his journey provided a vivid illustration of what can happen when student potential meets sustained institutional support.
The event was capped by the formal unveiling of the corporate website of WalterSam Global Technologies Ltd, showcasing its growing portfolio of technology-driven products, software solutions and social impact initiatives.
As delegates and students mingled inside the BOI-UNILAG Hub after the launch, one message stood out: Étude is more than an app launch. Its journey illustrates how Nigerian universities can serve as platforms for homegrown innovation, enabling ideas to move from academic spaces and student competitions into solutions with the potential to create wider social and economic value.
Report: Bayo Salau
Photographs: Samuel O. Dosunmu / Eniola Onabajo ( Student Intern)
