NUC Approves Return of Management Courses at FUNAAB

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the reintroduction of key management science programmes at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), after a seven-year suspension that forced the university to restrict its academic offerings to agriculture-related disciplines.

In a statement issued by the Acting Head of Public Relations, Mr. Olasunkanmi Olajide, the university confirmed receiving the official approval following a successful resource verification visit by the NUC. The letter of approval, dated October 17, was signed by Abubakar M. Girei, Acting Director of Academic Planning, on behalf of the NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu.

According to Olajide, the NUC’s green light covers B.Sc. Accounting, B.Sc. Banking and Finance, B.Sc. Business Administration, and B.Sc. Economics, alongside a new postgraduate programme, M.Sc. Agroecology.

The move marks a significant turnaround for FUNAAB, which had introduced management science courses in 2017 but discontinued them a year later, following a federal directive limiting specialized universities to their core fields.

“With this approval, the university will resume admissions into these programmes under the College of Entrepreneurial and Development Studies (COLENDS) beginning from the 2025/2026 academic session,” Olajide stated.

The university management described the development as a major milestone in its academic diversification, aligning with global best practices that integrate business, economics, and agriculture.

It would be recalled that the university’s Senate had, in 2021, renamed the former College of Management Sciences (COLMAS) to COLENDS in a strategic move to promote entrepreneurship-driven education and sustainable development.

Student leaders have long advocated for the restoration of the management science programmes. In 2021, the university’s Students’ Union President, Comrade Michael Oloyede, urged the Federal Government to lift the restriction, arguing that such courses enhanced the competitiveness and employability of graduates from agricultural universities.

The reintroduction of these programmes, observers say, could further strengthen FUNAAB’s academic portfolio and attract a new generation of students seeking to blend agribusiness with financial and economic expertise.