The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), is exploring stronger partnerships with the Mastercard Foundation and IDH (The Sustainable Trade Initiative) to expand student entrepreneurship, promote agribusiness development and explore potential funding opportunities for entrepreneurial initiatives.
The move gained momentum on October 13th, 2026, when representatives of the Mastercard Foundation, IDH, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and Christian Aid Nigeria visited the Vice-Chancellor’s Office to examine the University’s approach to promoting student entrepreneurship.
The engagement focused particularly on the Women in Sourcing and Enterprise (WISE) Project, which FUNAAB has been implementing since 2025 under the leadership of IDH.
Welcoming the delegation, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to teaching, research and community development through extension services, describing the three core functions as essential to equipping students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to address societal challenges and establish sustainable businesses.
Professor Kehinde highlighted FUNAAB’s strengths in agricultural education, research and innovation, noting that the institution is well-positioned to promote entrepreneurship by translating academic knowledge into practical solutions and viable business opportunities across agricultural value chains.
He welcomed the delegation’s interest in the University’s student entrepreneurship model, expressing optimism that stronger engagement with development partners would broaden opportunities for students and advance FUNAAB’s entrepreneurial development agenda.
Discussions centred on the WISE Project, which provides a platform for connecting students, particularly women with enterprise development and sourcing opportunities.
The engagement also explored ways to strengthen existing initiatives through collaboration with the visiting organisations and create additional pathways for students to establish and grow sustainable businesses.
Leading the delegation was the Country Director of IDH, Eniola Fabusoro. Other key representatives included the Country Director of AGRA Nigeria, Dr Rufus Idris; the Director of Agrifood Systems, Pan-African Program at the Mastercard Foundation, Wambui Chege and Victor Arokoyo of Christian Aid Nigeria.
Other members of the delegation brought expertise in programme management, gender inclusion, agricultural finance, digital agriculture, monitoring and evaluation, grants management, livestock production and communications.
Their participation provided an opportunity to exchange ideas on strengthening student entrepreneurship, expanding agricultural enterprise opportunities and promoting inclusive economic growth.
The visit also enabled the delegation to gain insights into FUNAAB’s efforts to prepare students for entrepreneurship and identify potential areas of collaboration in agriculture, agribusiness development and inclusive economic opportunities.
The proposed engagement is expected to provide a basis for further discussions on partnerships that could strengthen student-led enterprises and support the development of the next generation of agripreneurs.
