The Africa Institute for Capacity and Development (AICAD) has successfully completed its first entrepreneurship programme, training 35 students over an intensive eight-day course. Conducted under the International Labour Organization’s Start and Improve Your Business initiative, the programme aims to equip participants with practical skills to transform ideas into viable, structured business plans.
The Trainees who were drawn from across the country, were guided through idea validation, market analysis, financial planning, and disciplined execution, equipping them with actionable frameworks.
Speaking during the closing ceremony February 26, 2026, Dr. David Watene, Director of Education at the State Department for Higher Education and Research lauded the programme for aligning education with Kenya’s economic needs.
He underscored the significance of the training in promoting enterprise creation emphasizing that learning must extend beyond certification to developing skills that create tangible value.
He lauded AICAD for supporting initiatives that match the government’s mission and urged the students to become ambassadors of entrepreneurship, carrying forward innovation, problem-solving, and resilience into the marketplace.
Dr. Watene represented the Principal Secretary of State Department for Higher Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala.
JKUAT Vice Chancellor, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, pledged her support to the programme, advocating for it’s inclusion in university curricula, citing the potential to better equip students for the demands of the marketplace.
She observed that the initiative fosters discipline, hones intellectual curiosity, and instills structured, strategic approaches that provides students with the tools to translate ambition into tangible and impactful outcomes.
She further highlighted the role of the initiative in bridging the gap between academic learning and the economy, stressing that university education must produce graduates ready to solve real-world challenges.
“Programmes like this ensure that our students do not wait for employment to define their future, they are equipped to create opportunities and lead in shaping economic outcomes,” said Prof. Ngumi.
She urged graduates to test their models beyond the classroom and focus on creating broader impact to national development.
The Executive Director of AICAD, Prof. James Njiru, disclosed the institution’s ambition to secure certification from the International Labour Organization (ILO), underlining AICAD’s commitment to delivering globally recognized entrepreneurship training.
He reiterated his vision to expand the programme nationwide, ensuring that more students across Kenya gain access to structured, market-driven entrepreneurial education.
Prof. Njiru highlighted the practical focus of the programme, revealing that students were tasked with developing ten business ideas, which were then refined to three and subjected to detailed SWOT analysis.
He emphasized that this hands-on approach was designed to cultivate strategic thinking, market awareness, and financial responsibility among participants.
He also underscored the broader objectives of the initiative, noting that the programme equips participants not only to start businesses but to contribute meaningfully to employment creation, community development, and national economic growth.
“Our goal is to transform potential into action and to foster a generation of entrepreneurs who are disciplined, resilient, and capable of creating lasting impact,” said Prof. Njiru.
