Edukate Africa holds summit to tackle funding barrier in education

By Ifeoma Ikem

Edukate Africa, an edu-fintech platform is set to host the Disrupt Education Summit Africa (Disrupt ED) aimed at tackling funding barriers, skills gaps and curriculum mismatch in Nigeria’s education system.

The Director of Edukate Africa, Francis Omorojie who disclosed this to newsmen explained that the initiative was driven by the high rate of school dropouts linked largely to financial constraints, particularly at the higher institution

Omorojie said the summit scheduled for January 29 at the University of Lagos will bring together government officials, universities, financial institutions, private sector players and philanthropies to rethink education financing and prepare young Nigerians for the realities of today’s digital workforce.

He said that more than 50 percent of students who drop out of higher institutions do so because they cannot afford tuition and related costs, a situation he described as a major contributor to unemployment, brain drain and irregular migration.

“Africa’s youthful population could either become an economic advantage or a liability, depending on how well education and talent development are managed.

“Education is a fundamental need, but financial exclusion has continued to shut out many promising young people. When students drop out, it feeds unemployment and social instability.

“Our mission is to build innovative and sustainable financial models that keep young Africans in school and help them become productive,” he said.

He noted that Edukate Africa is deploying blended financing solutions that include tuition guarantees, technology driven scholarship platforms, gig and remote work opportunities for students, and partnerships with universities and philanthropies to establish endowment and alumni funds.

He said that the platform pays tuition directly to institutions after verifying students’ admission and academic records, ensuring transparency and accountability for donors.

“The summit would focus on aligning education with the fast changing nature of work, driven by digital transformation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies as any university curricula are lagging behind workplace realities, leaving graduates ill prepared for employment.

“There is a clear disconnect between what students are taught and what employers need. This summit will create a roundtable where government, academia and the private sector can agree on the skills required for today’s economy and how to integrate them into learning.

“It will also examine education financing models, including how banks and financial institutions can design student friendly funding products, and how existing initiatives such as the Nigeria Education Loan Fund can be strengthened and scaled.’’

Omorojie added that Edukate Africa would use the summit to launch the CommUniversity Endowment Fund, a community led investment fund designed to generate sustainable returns that will be used to sponsor vulnerable students and support young entrepreneurs.

Unlike traditional grant models, he said the fund would invest in revenue generating businesses, with dividends channeled into education support and seed funding for student led startups.

He said the initiative would also promote innovation through activities such as Pitch My Dissertation, Africathon and inter university debates, encouraging students to turn academic research into commercial solutions and job creating ventures.

According to him, over 1,000 students and recent graduates are expected at the summit, with a partners’ pavilion providing employers and organisations direct access to top talent.

He added that Edukate Africa has already supported students in Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Uganda to complete their education, in some cases with relatively small amounts that made the difference between graduation and dropping out.

He said that the ultimate goal is to move beyond access to education and ensure that young people graduate with relevant skills, funding support and pathways into employment or entrepreneurship, thereby contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.

Also speaking, Tosin Adebisi, Co-Founder of Edukate Africa said the Disrupt ED Summit was designed as a disruptive and transformative convergence that would move beyond familiar conversations to practical collaboration.

Adebisi said the summit was built around a new framework called Communiversity, which seeks to integrate universities, policymakers, industry, the third sector and students into a single ecosystem.

“Rather than everyone working in silos, Communiversity brings together policymakers, universities, industry and civil society, with students at the centre, to address access to education, the future of work and Africa’s competitiveness.

“Communiversity model would leverage alumni networks, high net worth individuals and diaspora support to unlock sustainable funding for universities.

“The summit is being organised in partnership with the University of Lagos and the University of Birmingham, with support from the Federal Ministry of Education.’’

The dignitaries that would grace the occasion include, Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; the Provost and Vice Principal of the University of Birmingham, Professor Nick, the Chief Operating Officer of Semicolon Africa, Ms Ashley Immanuel; and the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibikwe

FCAIB is set to launch degree programmes in partnership with FUNAAB

IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA – In a groundbreaking move, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has given the green light for the introduction of two innovative degree programmes at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan (FCAIB), set to kick off in the 2025/2026 academic session.

According to an official release e-signed and made available to the media by Mrs. Wilson Oyekemi, Head of the Public Relations Unit of the institution, the newly approved programmes are B.Sc. (Home Science and Management) and B.Agric. (Agricultural Science).

As stated, the next academic session will witness the official commencement of both degree programmes, which constitutes a major breakthrough in the College’s academic development.

Established in 1921, the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan (FCAIB), originally known as the School of Agriculture, proudly stands as Nigeria’s and West Africa’s first agricultural institution, with a long and storied history.

The College’s roots trace further back to 1899, when Moor Plantation, Ibadan was established as a model farm to promote rubber cultivation and general agricultural improvement.

By 1905, the station evolved into an experimental research centre, focusing primarily on cotton production and other key agricultural studies.

The formal establishment of the School of Agriculture in 1921 marked the beginning of structured agricultural education in Nigeria.

Following the regionalization of education in 1954, the school relocated to its present site – where it has since grown into a formidable centre of agricultural learning and innovation.

Over the past century, the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, has consistently upheld its mission of contributing to Nigeria’s agricultural development through qualitative education, skills acquisition, and the production of middle-level manpower for the agricultural sector.

The institution remains committed to empowering students with practical, hands-on skills and modern knowledge tailored to meet the evolving needs of agribusiness and food production in the 21st century.

Becoming Nigeria’s Premier Agricultural Institution, FCAIB envisions becoming the foremost agricultural education institution in Nigeria’s tertiary education system – a vision strengthened by its continued academic expansion and infastructural growth.

With over 100 years of continuous service, the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan has built a strong reputation as a leader in agricultural education, training, and research across the subregion.

The College currently offers a wide range of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes across several disciplines, including:

National Diploma Programmes:

– Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Technology

– Agricultural Technology

– Home and Rural Economics

– Horticultural Technology

– Cooperative Economics and Management

– Science Laboratory Technology (SLT)

– Computer Science

– Food Technology

– Office Management Technology

– Library and information Science

– Multimedia Technology

– Organic Agricultural Technology

Higher National Diploma Programmes:

– Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering Technology (Farm Power/Post-Harvest Technology/Soil & Water options)

– Agricultural Extension and Management

– Animal Production Technology

– Crop Production Technology

– Horticultural Technology

– Agribusiness Management

– Pest Management Technology

– Science Laboratory Technology (Microbiology Option)

These programmes are designed to blend theory with practical field experience, ensuring graduates are job-ready and self-reliant in the agricultural sector.

Beyond academic instruction, FCAIB maintains a strong emphasis on research and development, particularly in areas that directly impact food production and sustainable agricultural practices.

Recent infrastructural developments at the institution included the establishment of a Meteorological Centre, a Garri Processing Plant and an Oil Palm Processing Unit, all aimed at enhancing research, student training, and community impact.

The 9th and current Provost who doubled as the 28th Head of the 105 year-old Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, Prof. Jonathan Jeremiah Atungwu, a distinguished Nigerian academic Professor of Plant Nematology and an expert in Organic Agriculture and Biopesticides development with

research focus on non-chemical crop protection options, remained a focused and visionary leader.

He is Certified locally and internationally with enviable credentials, some of which include but not limited to:

– Over 100 publications in reputable outlets

– Expertise in Organic Agriculture and Biopesticides development.

– A team player with demonstrated leadership skills and experience in various capacities: Past Dean (COLPLANT) in FUNAAB and LASU, President of several professional societies.

– Membership and leadership in international and local organizations, such as ISOFAR, ISPP, NSPP, NISOP, ADAN and many more.

Prof. Atungwu is a renowned mentor for the upcoming agricultural scientists, teachers, agropreneurs, and youths.

He is happily married, and blessed with pleasant, hardworking, and disciplined children.

NAPS SOUTHWEST ISSUES 7-DAY ULTIMATUM TO OSUN STATE GOVERNMENT OVER NEGLECT OF POLYTECHNIC & MONOTECHNIC EDUCATION

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Southwest Zone, expresses deep outrage at the alarming neglect of all state-owned Polytechnic and Monotechnic institutions in Osun State.

OUR FINDINGS REVEAL:

1. Inadequate Staffing Across Institutions
Almost all state-owned Polytechnic and Monotechnic institutions in Osun State suffer severe shortages of qualified academic and non-academic staff. This has placed an undue burden on the existing workforce and compromised the quality of education delivery.

2. Poor and Insufficient Laboratory Facilities
The state of laboratories and technical workshops in these institutions is grossly inadequate. Students are being denied the practical exposure required to complement theoretical learning, lowering academic standards and employability.

3. Non-Functionality of Cooperative College, Odeomu
Since its establishment, Cooperative College, Odeomu has yet to admit a single student. This prolonged dormancy is a disservice to the vision behind the institution and a waste of public resources that should be optimized for the benefit of Osun youth.

This level of neglect is unacceptable and represents an outright assault on the future of Nigerian students.

OUR DEMAND

We demand that the Osun State Government:

Commence the immediate recruitment of qualified staff,

Equip and rehabilitate laboratories and workshops,

Kickstart full academic operations at Cooperative College, Odeomu.

OUR ULTIMATUM

The Osun State Government is hereby given a seven (7) day ultimatum from today to take visible and verifiable steps toward addressing these issues.

Failure to comply will leave NAPS Southwest Zone with no option but to mobilize a mass protest across Osun State, shutting down public spaces until our demands are met.

We are ready, and we will not watch silently while the future of students is being destroyed.

1. Signed,
   Comr. Ogunsola Adewale John
   Southwest Zonal Treasurer
   National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS)