The Federal University Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) has received a ₦1 billion Federal Government grant for the establishment of a commercial agricultural farm, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Fasina, has disclosed.
Fasina made this known on Monday during a press briefing ahead of the university’s 10th convocation ceremony. He explained that the intervention is part of a broader ₦30 billion Federal Government initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural production across federal universities through mechanised farming and livestock development.
According to him, the programme is designed to leverage the expertise of faculties of agriculture in Nigerian universities to enhance food security, boost food production, and promote modern agricultural practices, while also enabling institutions to feed their students and surrounding communities.
The Vice-Chancellor further revealed that FUOYE has recorded significant progress in research funding, with some academic staff securing grants exceeding ₦430 million, while the university has also attracted over $55,000 in international research funding.
On academic performance, Fasina disclosed that 131 students graduated with first-class honours out of a total of 7,396 graduating students. He added that 2,519 students earned Second Class Lower degrees, while 3,777 graduated with Third Class honours.
Highlighting infrastructural development as a major achievement of his administration, the Vice-Chancellor noted that under the university’s “Blue Roof Legacy”, more than 160 infrastructural projects have been completed across FUOYE’s campuses.
He also stated that the institution recorded a 310 per cent increase in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), expanded its faculties from eight to 18, and increased academic programmes from 73 to 91, all of which have either full or interim accreditation.
Fasina disclosed that FUOYE has emerged as the fourth most subscribed university in Nigeria and ranked fourth nationally in the 2026 Times Higher Education rankings. He added that the university also posted strong performances in global rankings, including the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, World University Rankings by Subject, Interdisciplinary Science Rankings, and Sub-Saharan Africa Rankings.
The Vice-Chancellor further announced that former Vice-Chancellors of the university who are above 70 years of age—Professors Chinedu Nebo, Isaac Asuzu, and Kayode Soremekun—would be honoured with the title of Emeritus Professor in recognition of their contributions to academic development.
He explained that the newly introduced Emeritus Professors Policy ensures that all retired former Vice-Chancellors are conferred with the title, preserving institutional memory and encouraging continued intellectual engagement.
Speaking on the Diaspora Professors Programme, Fasina said the initiative allows distinguished scholars from across the world to contribute to teaching, research, and collaborative scholarship at FUOYE. He noted that notable participants include Prof. Hartmut Herrmann and Prof. Khaneh Wadinga Fomba of the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, Germany, whose involvement has strengthened the university’s international research partnerships.
