FUNAAB Launches Beekeeping Enterprise Development 2.0, Equips 200 Students With Agribusiness Skills

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), on Thursday, 28 November 2025, officially launched the Beekeeping Enterprise Development 2.0, a two-day capacity-building programme designed to equip students with practical agribusiness skills.

The event, supported by WAFROEX, was flagged off at the University’s Green Chamber.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Babatunde Kehinde, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Professor Olawale Dairo, reaffirmed FUNAAB’s commitment to empowering students through innovation-driven, hands-on programmes. He highlighted beekeeping as an eco-friendly enterprise that enhances biodiversity and provides multiple revenue streams through honey, wax, propolis, and cosmetic products. While describing it as a low-cost venture, he emphasized the need for strategic investment in essential tools to ensure sustainability.

Professor Kehinde praised the partnership with WAFROEX, noting its alignment with the University’s innovation agenda and experiential learning objectives. He urged participants to embrace the programme fully and translate acquired knowledge into viable business ventures.

Alhaji Abdulrahman Shomala, General Manager of WAFROEX Limited, commended FUNAAB for sustaining the initiative, acknowledging the Vice-Chancellor’s support. He introduced the lead facilitator, Mr. David Musa, as one of Nigeria’s foremost beekeeping experts, and highlighted that FUNAAB has already established over 300 hives on campus under the programme, positioning the University as a pioneer in modern beekeeping technology.

Speaking on behalf of the Employability and Benchmarking Committee of the Career Services and Linkages Unit (CSLU), the Dean, College of Biosciences (COLBIOS), Professor Iyabode Kehinde, lauded the initiative, stressing its alignment with FUNAAB’s mission to produce graduates who are both academically proficient and professionally empowered. She encouraged students to explore beekeeping as a sustainable entrepreneurial pathway, sharing her personal experience as a beekeeper and emphasizing the commercial potential of honey production. She described the programme’s slogan, “Future Beekeepers, Future Entrepreneurs,” as a motivational call for students to embrace practical skills that shape career opportunities.

The Alternate Chairperson of the Committee further highlighted the success of FUNAAB’s maiden Career Fair earlier in the week, emphasizing the importance of collaborations with industry, alumni, government, and academia in enhancing student employability. She extended appreciation to the Chief Executives of WAFROEX/Goldswarm, Mr. Omar Lababidi and Mr. Samir Lababidi, for their dedication to nurturing the next generation of agricultural innovators.

The Beekeeping Enterprise Development 2.0 initiative represents another milestone in FUNAAB’s efforts to strengthen students’ practical skills, promote agribusiness innovation, and contribute meaningfully to national development.