In the sweeping plains of Nigeria’s northeastern corridor, a powerful transformation is taking root, led by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. At the heart of this transformation lies a bold, deliberate strategy: using agricultural education to secure Nigeria’s future. The establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi (FUAMB) in May 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari is no coincidence. It is the centerpiece of what is fast becoming known as “The Mubi Strategy”, a forward-thinking national initiative that connects food security, youth empowerment, and regional revitalization.
To reach Mubi from Yola, the Adamawa State capital, one must journey nearly 200km through towns like Girei, Song, Hong, and Gombi. These communities brim with agricultural life, vibrant local markets, and rich herbal resources that remain largely untapped. Yet, as the road leads into Mubi, a bustling border town, one steps into a region bursting with economic promise. Mubi hosts several institutions and commands one of the largest livestock markets in West Africa, making it the ideal home for an institution built to drive agro-industrial innovation.
Mubi’s significance in this mission is both geographic and strategic. The town sits at a critical junction for cross-border trade, connecting Nigeria with Cameroon and the Sahel region. It is home to fertile lands, a rich mix of cultures, and an active livestock and grain economy. This makes FUAMB not just a center of academic excellence but a real-time laboratory for learning, research, and enterprise. From the moment it opened its gates, FUAMB was designed to prepare Nigeria’s next generation of agro-leaders, and it’s already doing just that.
A clear sign of this momentum is the successful matriculation of 176 young men and women from 2024/2025 JAMB as it’s first set of students from all states of the federation, including Lagos, Kano, Rivers, Enugu, Borno, and Benue. This national spread highlights FUAMB’s growing appeal and importance.The university is currently admitting students into it’s 13 programmes for the 2025/2026 session. For parents and guardians, this is more than a university, it’s a secure future for their wards. Students at FUAMB are not only earning degrees; they are gaining real-world agricultural skills in food science, livestock, agribusiness, ICT and sustainable farming, fields now critical for Nigeria’s survival and prosperity.
The university is backed by solid leadership. Pro-Chancellor Dr. Rukayyatu Abdulkareem Gurin, Mni, an accomplished educator and public servant, brings experience and vision in leading the Governing Council members. At the academic helm is Vice-Chancellor Prof. Bitrus Dawi Tarfa, a renowned scholar and agriculturalist who has already implemented research and outreach programs across all 21 LGAs in Adamawa State. His distribution of 49 improved crop varieties to farmers is already impacting local economies, reinforcing FUAMB’s role as a university of practical change.
While the permanent site in Mubi is rapidly developing with state-of-the-art facilities, the Adamawa State Government, under Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has ensured a smooth academic take-off by offering facilities at the Adamawa State University (ADSU). Classrooms, labs, hostels, and offices are all in place, proving that when federal and state governments work hand in hand, education can truly transform a region. This partnership has helped FUAMB make an impressive start, with more expansions underway.
FUAMB is more than a school, it is a strategic engine for national and continental development. Backed by the policies of Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, and Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa, Minister of Education, the university is aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda to combat hunger, create jobs, and expand agribusiness. The Mubi Strategy, rooted in education and enterprise, is designed not only to feed Nigeria, but to position it as a food giant in Africa.
President Tinubu’s investment in FUAMB is a legacy project. It is the deliberate planting of knowledge in fertile ground, ground that will grow far beyond 2027. For every kilometer from Yola to Mubi, for every student enrolled, for every seed planted, Nigeria is moving closer to becoming a nation that can feed itself, and the continent, with confidence, skill, and pride.
(Owolabi Shamsideen Oseni is Lagos-born Governing Council Member of Federal University of Agriculture, Mubi, Adamawa State)
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