Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Concludes Successful Two‑Day Maiden Career Fair

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) wrapped up the second day of its inaugural Skill‑Driven Career Fair on 26 November 2025 at the Prof. Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building. Organised in partnership with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Skills Development for Youth Employment (SKYE II) Programme — funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) — the event reinforced FUNAAB’s reputation as a national leader in youth development, innovation and industry‑responsive education.

The Closing Ceremony, covered by reporters Olasunkanmi Olajide and Femi Dansu, featured remarks from Prof. Emmanuel Fakoya, Dean of the College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), representing Deputy Vice‑Chancellor (Academic) and Chairman of the Benchmarking and Employability Committee Prof. Olukayode Akinyemi. Prof. Fakoya encouraged final‑year students to maximise the fair’s opportunities for professional growth and thanked the organisers for their efforts.

Keynote speakers included:

- Mr. Abdulrahman Shomala, General Manager of WAFROEX/GOLDSWARM Ltd and FUNAAB alumnus, who distinguished between “jobs” and “careers,” urging students to cultivate curiosity, innovation and problem‑solving abilities.

- Mr. Godwin Obhiyeghobu, Vocational Training and Labour Market Advisor at GIZ (representing SKYE II Component Manager Ms. Svjetlana Djokic), who highlighted the programme’s aim to boost youth employability through industry collaboration and the development of transferable skills.

- Mr. Olabode Orolu, Managing Director/CEO of Nourished Choice Agro‑Allied Foods, who noted the fair’s theme as a call to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry‑ready competencies.

Industry representatives such as Mr. Dimeji Kayode of Assetrise Limited praised FUNAAB’s leadership and announced plans to recruit 10–20 graduates, citing ongoing collaborations through the Smart Agropreneurship Project (SAP) that had already benefited 20 final‑year students and three graduates.

Interactive sessions included a “CV Clinic Diet” facilitated by Mr. Alli Ayobami of Rexayo Concepts, emphasizing tailored CVs for remote opportunities, and a student prototype‑pitching competition with cash prizes sponsored by WAFROEX (₦200,000 first prize), Dodopho/Glo (₦100,000 second prize) and Nourished Foods (₦80,000 third prize).

Over 1,000 students and 20 industry partners attended, including Prof. Iyabode Kehinde, Alternate Chairperson of the Employability and Benchmarking Committee and Dean of the College of Biosciences (COLBIOS), and Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, TVET Advisor/State Coordinator of GIZ‑SKYE.