The Federal Cooperative College (FCC), Eleyele, Ibadan, has entered a transformative era of academic and infrastructural excellence under the leadership of its Provost, Dr. Ibrahim Abdulganiyu. Officially unveiling an strategic 2026 roadmap during an exclusive interview with CEOAFRICA, the reformist scholar of, renowned for his exceptional administrative acumen,

detailed a great strategy to position the college as a global hub for cooperative education.

During the briefing, Dr. Abdulganiyu aligned the college’s progress with national priorities, as the Federal Cooperative Provost commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his farmers' cooperative transformation agenda. He noted that the President’s focus on food security and grassroots empowerment underpins the college’s new direction. “Our efforts here are designed to support the Federal Government’s vision of using cooperatives as a vehicle for economic stability and agricultural prosperity,” he stated.

Reflecting on his journey since assuming office on March 25, 2025, Dr. Abdulganiyu presented a stellar scorecard rooted in decades of experience. Drawing from his distinguished career at the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, where he held numerous leadership positions, he hit the ground running with a mission to align FCC Ibadan with the highest standards of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. "When I resumed, I discovered the college required specific restructuring to fit perfectly into the Ministry's vision," he noted. "With determination, we have been able to turn our initial challenges into significant opportunities."

A cornerstone of this "restructural empowerment" was the reorganization of the college’s academic core into two powerhouse faculties: the School of Management Sciences, headed by Dr. Segun Ogunreku, and the School of Applied Sciences, led by Dr. Punyu Majebi. To bolster these schools, the Provost has introduced cutting-edge courses including Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Extension and Management, and Animal Production, ensuring the curriculum meets modern economic demands.

Under his leadership, a massive drive to digitize education and expand technology access across the campus has become a cornerstone of the college’s evolution. "We introduced Tertiary Education Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and through this, the whole academic prowess of the college became digitized," Dr. Abdulganiyu revealed. This digital revolution was supported by the provision of laptops, enhanced electricity, and high-speed internet across departments. "Transitioning to digital platforms streamlines education and enables faster communication among lecturers and students," he added, emphasizing his deep commitment to making quality education accessible to all.

The Provost’s scorecard also highlights a massive leap in infrastructural innovation. "We have changed a lot of things to add value to the school so that when people visit, they see that the Cooperative College is advancing," he stated. This includes the total renovation of hostels and the iconic administrative block. Beyond physical structures, the Provost has prioritized the "human element," restructuring management to ensure staff are placed appropriately and conducting promotion exercises to reward dedication. Reflecting his commitment to efficiency, he noted, “We pay attention to the welfare of our staff and students; any file that comes to my table is attended to within five minutes.”

In a bold move to bridge the gap between the classroom and the industry, the college established the Cooperative Innovation and Empowerment Centre. This facility serves as a "living laboratory" where students interface with the real cooperative world. "We have a mandate to build the capacity of cooperative societies across the South West," the Provost explained, noting that over 40% of cooperators today are agri-related. The college has already reached out to state directors across the six geopolitical zones of the region to ensure a unified approach to training and retraining.

To ensure sustainability, Dr. Abdulganiyu is driving an aggressive Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) strategy. The college farm has been revitalized, recently producing broiler chickens distributed as welfare packages to staff. Future plans include expanding into egg and fish production, as well as establishing a college bakery and rejuvenating the school's Bottle and Sachet Water Production Company. The campus restaurant has also been modernized to serve staff and students while contributing to the college's coffers.

During the session, the Provost talked extensively on the effort made to ensure knowledge creation through this synergy of theory and practical application. He revealed a shift in the institution's academic philosophy aimed at ending the era of "job-seeking" graduates. “The target of the training is that we should not be producing graduates that only carry certificates around seeking for jobs; they should essentially provide jobs for others. We discussed this extensively at the academic board, and they approved it,” he affirmed.

As the college looks toward 2026, the Provost remains focused on securing a major out-station for large-scale agricultural practicals to overcome the "land-locked" nature of the Eleyele campus. “We are hoping that we will develop other means of getting money to run a big institution like ours,” he stated, inviting the government to witness the innovation taking place at FCC Ibadan. And if this is just the beginning, then the future of Federal Cooperative College Ibadan is looking brighter than ever.