June 1, 2026; BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA — In a major step toward cultivating transformative and future-ready leaders, the Nile Executive Leadership Academy (NELA) at Bahir Dar University, in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI)-Ethiopia, has delivered a six-day UNCTAD-EMPRETEC (a flagship United Nations program) Entrepreneurship Training Workshop (ETW) to its fellows.

The ETW focuses on key competencies and behavioral change, instilling a business mindset to turn ideas into action. The training identifies and strengthens 10 primary entrepreneurial competencies (with 30 behaviors):

• Opportunity-seeking and initiative
• Persistence
• Fulfillment of commitments
• Demand for quality and efficiency
• Taking calculated risks
• Goal-setting
• Information-seeking
• Systematic planning and monitoring
• Persuasion and networking, and 
• Independence and self-confidence

Speaking at both the opening and closing ceremonies, Dr. Mengesha Ayene, president of Bahir Dar University, emphasized that NELA was established with a clear mandate: to fundamentally elevate leadership standards across the university, the region, and the nation. Dr. Mengesha noted that by reinforcing administrative performance, NELA fellows are uniquely positioned to address complex societal challenges and guide organizations through volatile global environments with clarity and strategic foresight. He further commended NELA for hosting the training and strategically integrating entrepreneurship into the Advanced Leadership Practice Program, noting that the initiative provides fellows with a valuable opportunity to strengthen both their leadership effectiveness and entrepreneurial mindset.

Prof. Yeshigeta Gelaw, Chief Executive Director of NELA, underscored that while the fellows have already mastered advanced executive leadership, instilling a sharp entrepreneurial mindset is vital. This shift directly aligns with NELA’s forward-thinking philosophy, supporting Bahir Dar University’s strategic transition into a leading entrepreneurial institution—and contributing to the nation's broader development.

He stated that through this training, fellows will leverage entrepreneurial competencies to transform personal trajectories and elevate the university and their respective organizations into high-performing, prestigious enterprises.

Prof. Yeshigeta added that NELA’s highly adaptive curriculum is built to continuously evolve, paving the way for permanent integration of entrepreneurship into the academy's core programs. He also pledged to deepen NELA’s strategic partnership with EDI-Ethiopia for future initiatives.

Prof. Yeshigeta also underscored the importance of virtue-based entrepreneurship, encouraging them to ensure that entrepreneurial practice is firmly grounded in ethical values and social responsibility. He emphasized that entrepreneurship should not be driven solely by profit motives but by integrity, accountability, service to society, and the creation of sustainable value for communities and institutions.

The workshop aims to build entrepreneurship as a practical, measurable set of personal daily competencies required to launch and lead high-growth ventures. Moving beyond basic administration, the curriculum equips fellows with the personal owner mindset necessary to build scalable, market-responsive, and sustainable enterprises.

By mastering these individual entrepreneurial traits—including market intelligence and systematic innovation—leaders will possess the personal agency to not only run successful private businesses but also organically drive the entrepreneurial transformation of their home institutions.

The workshop concluded with NELA fellows expressing strong appreciation to the academy's leadership for hosting a highly impactful and timely program.