Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Professor Babatunde Kehinde, said digital innovation is the cornerstone of Nigeria’s sustainable growth, development, and global relevance, calling for its for its adoption.

Professor Kehinde stated this in his goodwill message at the opening of the fifth national conference on Applied Information Management Technology (AIMT 2025), held at the Centre for Management Development, Shangisha, recently.

The theme of the conference was ‘Harnessing Digital Innovations for Sustainable Growth: Renewed Hope for Nigeria’s Economy.

Represented by the director, Directorate of Academic Information Systems (DACIS), Professor Olusegun Folorunso, FUNAAB, the VC described digital technology as the driving force of societal transformation in the 21st century.

He said: “Information is now the most valuable currency in the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” urging stakeholders to move from rhetoric to concrete actions in building a tech-driven Nigerian economy.

He highlighted FUNAAB’s proactive steps in this direction to include the establishment of a new College of Computing (COLCOM) and the commencement of six new digital-focused academic programmes that are Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, ICT, and Software Engineering.

These programmes, he affirmed, had all received full approval and are strategically designed to equip graduates with globally relevant digital competencies.

Speaking about the institution’s growing national and international recognition, hehinted that FUNAAB had been selected to participate in the prestigious Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) programme, a Federal Government initiative to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital capacity building in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

He further announced plans by the university to establish Digital Innovation Hubs that would nurture digital talent, enhance industry-academia collaboration, and support enterprise development.

He also emphasised the role of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain, drone technology, and the Internet of Things (IoT) in revolutionising sectors like agriculture, finance, security, and governance.

The three-day conference featured several thought-provoking plenary sessions, including: Digital Economy and Financial Inclusion by Professor Oladele Balogun; Food Security Through Smart Agriculture by Dr Angel Adelaja-Kuye, Special Adviser on Agriculture and Food Security to the Ogun State Governor; Cultural Identity Mapping Using AI by Professor Olusegun Folorunso of FUNAAB; Cybersecurity in Nigeria by Mr Williams Odueke and Infrastructure for a Digital Future by Professor Samuel Daramola.

The keynote presentation was delivered by MD/CEO of Registrars and Investors Services Ltd, Dr Bayo Olugbemi, who echoed the urgent need for sustainable digital transformation across sectors.

The conference brought together distinguished scholars, policymakers, and ICT professionals to explore cutting-edge solutions to Nigeria’s developmental challenges.

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