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University Innovation Pod·MOAUM, Makurdi

Where student ideas become enterprises.

UniPod MOAUM is the University's innovation and entrepreneurship hub, supported by UNDP and the Federal Government of Nigeria, with a focus on Agriculture and Food Systems.

Watch UniPod on filmExplore the facilities

WithFederal Government of Nigeria · UNDP · TETFund · NIDTPP

Latest41 UniPods planned nationally, eight commissioned or ready
Aerial view of the UniPod MOAUM building: a red-roofed building with solar panels, large murals on its walls and a dark entrance block bearing the UniPod sign, with flags in front.
A trainer working on an electric vehicle training rig at UniPod MOAUM while a trainee looks on.
A row of bottles of MOAUM peanut yogurt with red caps and printed labels on a wooden table at UniPod MOAUM.
Two young musicians at microphones in a recording studio with olive-green walls, one in a cap and dark glasses, the other adjusting his microphone.
  • The new UniPod building
  • In the recording studio
  • Peanut yogurt, made by students
  • Training on automobile and renewable energy
  • In the workshop and the computer lab
  • One-month staff training with the Technology Incubation Centre, Makurdi
  • Intellectual property protection awareness class for startups
  • Government and government agencies visit UniPod MOAUM
  • University management visit to UniPod MOAUM
  • Students, faculty and the community at UniPod MOAUM

01UniPod at MOAUM

A UniPod is a University Innovation Pod: a structured platform on a university campus where ideas are developed, tested, financed and turned into viable enterprises.

Nigeria's National UniPod Network is a joint initiative of the Federal Government, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), delivered through the National Innovation and Digital Transformation Partnership Programme (NIDTPP). Nigeria is the first country in Africa to take the UniPod model to scale through direct public investment.

Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, formerly Benue State University, is one of the six universities in the first cohort. Its pod is focused on Agriculture and Food Systems, a natural fit for Benue State, widely known as the Food Basket of the Nation.

FocusAgriculture & Food SystemsAbout UniPod
The UniPod MOAUM building: a UNDP sign beside its glass entrance, the University crest and painted murals on its walls, and young people in orange T-shirts in the forecourt
A large flat-bed laser cutting machine being set up by a small team, with a room signed Private Pods behind it
The UniPod MOAUM buildingLaser and CNC lab

  • 500,000+

    young Nigerians targeted for advanced digital and AI skills

  • 1,500–2,000

    startups and student ventures to be supported

  • 6

    universities in the first cohort, one for each priority sector

  • 41

    UniPods planned across Nigerian tertiary institutions

02What the hub does

Five pillars, one hub.

UniPod-MOAUM Agric-Tech and Food System Innovation Hub in Benue State, Nigeria—aligned with national frameworks such as the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP 2022–2027) and youth-led agricultural renewal plans. The program structure focuses on incubation, local technology deployment, and market access.

  1. Technology Incubation & AccelerationAgritech Startup Cohorts · Minimum Viable Product (MVP) & Prototype Lab · Mentorship NetworkRead the pillar
  2. Capacity Building & Skills DevelopmentYouth & Women Agribusiness Training · Extension & Digital Literacy Workshops · Locally Fabricated Machinery SupportRead the pillar
  3. Post-Harvest Loss & Value Chain InnovationStorage & Cold-Chain Solutions · Value-Addition ProcessingRead the pillar
  4. Access to Finance & Investor MatchmakingAgritech Pitch Days & Demo Days · Grant & Matching Fund FacilitationRead the pillar
  5. Market Linkages & Policy DialogueStructured Off-Taker Connect · Policy & Research Co-CreationRead the pillar
The full programme framework

03Innovation in action

Practical learning, hands on.

Technical training
Technical training
Hands-on learning
Programmes and training

04Facilities and infrastructure

A home built for making.

UniPod MOAUM in its new structural look: the hub that houses its facilities and laboratories on the University's campus in Makurdi.

Multi-disciplinary workspaces for prototyping and production.

Our home
A large flat-bed laser cutting machine being set up by a small team, with a room signed Private Pods behind it
Laser and CNC lab
Rows of desktop computers on shared wooden desks in a bright room with a yellow feature wall
Design Lab
Large-format printers and finishing equipment along the wall of a workshop
Printing lab

Creative studio

In the recording studio

  • 01

    Built for agriculture

    Food Processing Lab · Engineering Workshop

  • 02

    Innovation labs

    Design Lab · Prototyping Lab · Renewable Energy Lab · Electronics Lab

  • 03

    Creative spaces

    Music studio · Photography suite · Video studio

Facilities and infrastructure

05People, learning and community

Students, staff and the community.

Students, members of faculty and the wider community at UniPod MOAUM, in its spaces and at its activities.

  • Community

  • Community

  • Community

  • Startup support

  • Startup support

  • Startup support

06Innovation, products and startups

Student innovation

Peanut yogurt, made by students

Students at UniPod MOAUM produced their own peanut yogurt, bottled and labelled as MOAUM Peanut Yogurt: an idea taken from the hub to a finished product.

Projects and products

Startup support

Intellectual property protection awareness class for startups

A class at UniPod MOAUM for startups on intellectual property: why an innovation should be protected, and how.

Innovation and startups

Open calls for student innovators

  • Poster: UniPod Smart Agriculture Grand Challenge, call for proposals. Transforming farming through innovation, data and technology. Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University (formerly Benue State University), Makurdi.Smart Agriculture Grand Challenge: call for proposals
  • Poster: Nigeria UniPod Network Innovation Discovery Call for student-led solutions and creatives. Apply by 27 March 2026; the exercise runs on a rolling basis.Innovation Discovery Call: student-led solutions and creatives
All opportunities

07Training and partnerships

Working together.

  1. 01

    Partnership

    One-month staff training with the Technology Incubation Centre, Makurdi

    UniPod MOAUM's partnership with the Technology Incubation Centre, Makurdi, resulted in a one-month training for staff.

  2. 02

    Government

    Government and government agencies visit UniPod MOAUM

    Government officials and representatives of government agencies visited UniPod MOAUM and were shown its facilities.

  3. 03

    University leadership

    University management visit to UniPod MOAUM

    Members of the University's management visited UniPod MOAUM and were shown its spaces and equipment.

Programme partnersFederal Government of NigeriaUNDPTETFundNIDTPP
Partnerships and engagements

08On film

Experience UniPod in Action.

UniPod MOAUM's own films. Press play to watch; nothing plays by itself.

Aerial view of the UniPod MOAUM building: a red-roofed building with solar panels, large murals on its walls and a dark entrance block bearing the UniPod sign, with flags in front.

Our home

A tour of UniPod MOAUM: its spaces, labs, workshop and studio

Explore All Media

09Stories and gallery

The hub in pictures.

Open the gallery27 photographs

  • The new UniPod building

  • In the recording studio

  • Peanut yogurt, made by students

  • Training on automobile and renewable energy

  • In the workshop and the computer lab

  • One-month staff training with the Technology Incubation Centre, Makurdi

  • Intellectual property protection awareness class for startups

  • Government and government agencies visit UniPod MOAUM

Latest from UniPod

Ideas developed, tested and financed, then built into enterprises.

Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi. UniPod MOAUM is the University's innovation and entrepreneurship hub, supported by UNDP and the Federal Government of Nigeria, with a focus on Agriculture and Food Systems.