The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, on Friday urged universities of agriculture to fully realise their founding mandate of driving economic diversification in Nigeria.
Olaopa made the call while delivering the 2026 Convocation Lecture of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State.
He commended the theme of the lecture, “Integrating Agriculture and Youth Development: A New Paradigm for the Nigerian Education System,” describing it as timely and reflective of the critical role tertiary institutions play in national development.
He recalled that successive governments established specialised universities of agriculture as part of efforts to diversify the economy. These include FUNAAB and the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (1988); Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (1992); the Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru (2020); and the recently established Federal University of Agriculture and Technology (FUNATO), Okeho, Oyo State.
According to him, the founding vision behind these institutions was to revive interest in agriculture, which had declined following the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria.
Olaopa questioned whether the original objectives of establishing the universities have been fully realised, asking to what extent their theoretical, practical and policy contributions have helped to address Nigeria’s economic challenges. He stressed the need not only to assess past performance but also to chart a sustainable path for the future.
He called for a paradigm shift anchored on the adoption of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, drones, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), cybernetics and the Internet of Things (IoT), challenging universities and research institutes to integrate these innovations into smart farming systems and creative agribusiness models.
He also emphasised the importance of sustainability, urging institutions to deploy research that promotes environmentally friendly practices. In addition, he highlighted the need to strengthen research and development (R&D) and establish innovation hubs capable of delivering timely, practical solutions to farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.
Olaopa further stressed the role of universities in advancing rural development and national economic diversification through community-focused solutions that promote agricultural self-sufficiency, export-driven growth and youth employment.
While acknowledging past agricultural initiatives, he pointed to the Tinubu administration’s National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), alongside programmes such as the Youth Manifesto (2025–2030) and NALDA, as frameworks aimed at transforming agriculture into a technology-driven, youth-inclusive sector.
