CIED-IBBU was first established in 2011 and named Entrepreneurship and Counselling Centre (ECC) by the former Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ibrahim Kolo – a professional counsellor. At the inception, the administrative office of the Centre was located in Kobo Campus on temporary basis.

The pioneering Director of the CIED, Prof. Frank C. Carew of the Department of Guidance and Counseling, IBBUL, piloted the affairs of the Centre for three years (2012-2014) with remarkable achievements. He developed a strategic plan document on “Students Entrepreneurship for Career Planning and Development Portfolio (SECPDEP)” that is still in use till date. During his tenure, series of public lectures on entrepreneurship development were organized for both students, staff and the University Senate. Among the papers delivered are Mainstreaming Entrepreneurship Education into Tertiary Institution Curriculum by Prof. Ibrahim Kolo; Management of Entrepreneurship Development and Counseling: Structure, Operation, Autonomy and Domestication by Prof. Frank Carew; Linking Entrepreneurship Education to Local Business Environment in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges by Dr. Nazif A. Darma; University Graduates’ Career and Entrepreneurship Development by Dr. John Jiya; Understanding Entrepreneurship and Business Ideas for University Graduates and Lecturers by Dr. Mohammed A. Mawoli; Responsive and Innovative Entrepreneurship by Dr. Sidikat Shitu; Entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property Rights: Legal requirements and Ethical Issues by Dr. M.O. Ojuola; and Marketing of Entrepreneurial Products by Dr. M.A. Mawoli.

Dr. John Jiya of the Department of Guidance and Counseling became the second Director of CIED (then called ECC) in December 2014 and completed his tenure in 2016. The appointment of Prof. Nasir M. Maiturare – a professional actuary – as the University Vice Chancellor in December 2014 set the stage for the splitting of ECC into two separate autonomous entities: Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIEP) and Guidance and Counseling Centre. This dream was realized in November 2016 when CIEP moved to its permanent building in the Main Campus along Minna Road with new leadership, Dr A.A. Salihu of the Department of Business Administration as the Coordinator and Mallama Fatima Haruna as the Secretary. In addition, a committee comprising CIEP Coordinator, Director Academic Planning, Director of IBBU Consults and Ventures, Tetf Desk Officer, and Director General of Minna Industrial Park was set up to take strategic decision for the Centre and report to the VC for consideration, approval and implementation. Under Dr. A.A. Salihu’s leadership, the centre collaborated with the Department of Business Administration and industries to commence practical skills acquisition programmes on paint, gel, liquid soap, freshener, perfume, insecticides, antiseptics, and Vaseline production, among others. Series of entrepreneurship workshops and lectures were also organized for students and staff in 2017.

Another chapter was opened in the life of CIED when Dr. Mohammed A. Mawoli of the Department of Business Administration was appointed as the Director of CIED in March 2018 by the VC, Prof. N.M. Maiturare. Upon assumption of office, Dr. M.A. Mawoli appraised the structure and operations of the Centre to identify functional areas and/or skills acquisition programmes that need to be resuscitated and the new agenda that need to be set in order to drive performance and facilitate future performance measurement. Thus, a document on “Policy and Operational Guidelines” of the CIEP was compiled; the document clearly defines the vision, mission, mandates, goals, organogram, history, programmes, products, target markets, and partners of CIEP. However, the challenges before the current Director and his team is that of how to ensure that the three skills acquisition programmes and equipment – computer literacy, pottery, and poultry – are coupled, test run, and put to optimal use.