Senate to overhaul agricultural colleges
The Senate has stepped up moves to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural colleges and research institutions, reaching out to key global partners to drive reforms, technology transfer and fresh investments into the
- From Sanni Onogu, Abuja
The Senate has stepped up moves to overhaul Nigeria’s agricultural colleges and research institutions, reaching out to key global partners to drive reforms, technology transfer and fresh investments into the sector.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, involves strategic engagements with Malaysia, the European Union, Brazil, China, Germany, India and the United Kingdom as part of a broader plan to revitalise agricultural education and research.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, disclosed this during a series of high-level visits to diplomatic missions in Abuja, stressing the National Assembly’s resolve to harness international expertise to boost productivity, build capacity and create jobs.
The engagements, he said, are in preparation for the First National Legislative Summit and Expo on Agricultural Colleges and Research Institutions scheduled to hold from May 11 to 13, 2026 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to a statement issued by the committee on Sunday, the summit is designed to mobilise global support, strengthen institutional frameworks and showcase innovations capable of accelerating Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.
Alli explained that the committee is deliberately forging strategic alliances with leading agricultural nations to promote research collaboration, mechanisation and the adoption of modern farming techniques.
At the Malaysian High Commission, he highlighted Malaysia’s global leadership in palm oil production, noting that Nigeria stands to benefit from its expertise in agro-industrial development and value chain optimisation.
During talks at the European Union Delegation, the lawmaker commended ongoing interventions in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, particularly in oil palm research, while calling for deeper collaboration in addressing climate change, soil degradation and food security challenges.
He also praised Brazil’s highly productive agricultural system at the Brazilian Embassy, stressing that Nigeria could replicate similar successes through partnerships in mechanisation, irrigation and yield improvement.
Engagements with representatives of China and Germany focused on agricultural engineering, precision farming and research-driven innovation as critical areas of cooperation.
At the Indian High Commission, discussions centred on agro-technology, research exchange and capacity building, especially in smallholder farming where India has recorded notable progress.
Read Also: Easter: Nigeria will overcome challenges, CAN assures
Similarly, meetings at the British High Commission and with Paraguayan representatives explored opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties in agricultural education, research funding and institutional reforms.
Alli emphasised that agriculture remains central to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda, with vast potential for job creation, poverty reduction and rural development.
He reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to enacting legislation that will deepen partnerships, promote innovation and drive sustainable reforms across the sector.
The senator also urged diplomatic missions to participate actively in the forthcoming summit, expressing confidence that its outcome would shape policy direction and provide a roadmap for revitalising agricultural institutions nationwide.
