ACU, CRIN Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Tree Crop Research and Agri-Business Innovation

Ajayi Crowther University has entered into a landmark partnership with the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening agricultural research, staff development, and agri-business innovation.

The agreement was formalised on Friday, May 8, 2026, at CRIN headquarters in Ibadan, where the Vice-Chancellor of ACU, Ebunoluwa Oduwole, and the Acting Executive Director of CRIN, Abiodun Rasheed Adedeji, signed the pact.

The MoU, which is set to run for five years with annual renewal options, establishes a broad framework for collaboration across research, training, and commercial agricultural development, particularly in Nigeria’s tree crop sector.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Prof. Oduwole described the partnership as a strategic step toward positioning ACU as a key player in agricultural innovation and research-driven development.

Under the agreement, both institutions will collaborate extensively on research focused on major tree crops including cocoa, kola, coffee, cashew, and tea, areas within CRIN’s federal research mandate.

The partnership also provides opportunities for participation in international conferences, academic exchanges, and professional engagements, aimed at exposing staff and students to global best practices in agricultural science and innovation.

A key component of the agreement allows for joint academic engagement, including participation of CRIN researchers in ACU’s academic promotion processes, especially for advancement to professorial ranks. In return, CRIN scientists will be eligible for sabbatical placements and visiting fellowship positions at ACU.

The MoU further establishes structured faculty exchange programmes between both institutions, including external examination duties and joint supervision of postgraduate research projects.

Both parties also agreed to share academic resources and research materials to enhance teaching, learning, and innovation. This is expected to significantly strengthen ACU’s academic resources and provide access to CRIN’s extensive research outputs across its national substations.

In a major development for experiential learning, CRIN will support the establishment of the Ajayi Crowther Research Centre on ACU’s campus, envisioned as a Centre of Excellence for tree crop trials. The support will include technical expertise, planting materials, and advisory services.

The agreement also creates structured opportunities for ACU students under the Students’ Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), allowing them to gain hands-on training in areas such as crop breeding, grafting, budding, and post-harvest management.

Beyond academics, the partnership includes a strong commercial dimension. Both institutions will collaborate on agri-business development, product innovation, and the commercialisation of research outputs aimed at boosting ACU’s internally generated revenue.

The MoU also contains detailed provisions on intellectual property rights, stipulating joint ownership of innovations, patents, software, and research outputs arising from the collaboration, subject to formal material transfer agreements and licensing arrangements.

Following the signing, the ACU delegation was taken on a field tour of CRIN facilities, including its cocoa nursery, where practical demonstrations of cocoa grafting and budding were showcased as part of the institute’s research operations.

The ACU delegation included senior management officials such as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Afolake Olanbiwonninu; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Olukayode Binuyo; Registrar, Bode Olofinmuagun; and Dean of Agriculture, Moses Adebayo, among others.

CRIN management also expressed optimism about the partnership, describing ACU leadership as visionary and committed to impactful collaboration, while reaffirming the institute’s readiness to leverage its national research network to support the initiative.

Prof. Oduwole reaffirmed ACU’s commitment to ensuring the partnership delivers measurable outcomes for students, researchers, and the broader agricultural ecosystem.