FUAA Amendment Bill Summary

What Is This Bill?

The Federal Universities of Agriculture Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 (HB.1787) is a legislative proposal before the House of Representatives to amend the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 — the principal statute governing Nigeria’s specialised federal universities of agriculture. The Bill was sponsored by Hon. Blessing Chigeru Amadi and received its First Reading on 6th February, 2025. The amendment seeks to expand the network of federally recognised universities of agriculture, update the governance and institutional framework of existing universities, and align the Act with current national agricultural development priorities, including the objectives of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

Who Does It Target?

Federal universities of agriculture currently established under the principal Act — the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Makurdi (FUAM), and Umudike (FUTO/MOUAU) State and federal governments seeking to establish new specialised agricultural universities under the amended framework Students, academic staff, administrative officers, and governing councils of federal universities of agriculture The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Agricultural Universities Co-ordination Agency The National Universities Commission (NUC) and other relevant regulatory bodies overseeing tertiary agricultural education Agricultural research institutions, extension service providers, and private sector partners collaborating with these universities

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Amend the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22 to expand the list of federally recognised universities of agriculture and establish new institutions in underserved geopolitical zones Update and strengthen the governance structure of universities of agriculture, including the composition of councils, appointment procedures, and accountability mechanisms Align the mandates of universities of agriculture with current national priorities — food security, agribusiness, climate-resilient agriculture, and agricultural innovation Reinforce the academic and research objectives of universities of agriculture, emphasising practical skills, extension services, and technology transfer to farmers Provide a clear legal framework for the establishment, administration, and funding of new and existing federal universities of agriculture across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones

Key Features

Amendment to Cap. F22: Directly amends the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22, LFN 2004, which originally established the universities in Abeokuta, Makurdi, and Umudike as specialised institutions for agricultural higher education Establishment of New University: Introduces provisions to establish a new federal university of agriculture, expanding access to specialised agricultural higher education in line with Nigeria’s federal character principle and geopolitical equity Academic Mandate: Preserves and reinforces the core objects of agricultural universities: advancing learning in agriculture, developing practical and professional skills, conducting adaptive research, and providing extension services to rural communities Governance Framework: Retains the established principal officer structure — Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Bursar, and University Librarian — with updated appointment and tenure provisions Senate and Council Powers: Maintains the bicameral academic governance model through the University Senate (academic oversight) and Council (general governance), with checks on statute-making requiring two-thirds supermajority approval Non-Discrimination Clause: Preserves the prohibition on discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sex, place of birth, religion, or political conviction in student admissions, staff appointments, and membership of university bodies Current Status & Legislative Progress First Reading: The Bill was read for the first time on Thursday, 6th February, 2025, at the House of Representatives sitting listed as Order Paper No. 99 of the 10th National Assembly, Second Session Sponsor: Sponsored by Hon. Blessing Chigeru Amadi; the Bill joins a series of related amendments to federal education statutes including sister bills on federal polytechnics, colleges of education, and agricultural research councils introduced in the same session Committee Referral: Following First Reading, the Bill is expected to be referred to the House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions — the committee with jurisdiction over federal universities of agriculture and related institutions Related Legislation: Multiple related bills amending Cap. F22 have been introduced in the 10th Assembly, including proposals to establish the Federal University of Agriculture, Forestry and Technology, Igboora (HB.1172); Federal University of Agriculture, Akure (Ondo State); and Federal University of Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, Bama, Borno State (SB.186) Parent Act: The Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22 was originally enacted as No. 48 of 1992, with subsequent amendments in 1993, 1996; it has been updated periodically to accommodate new institutions and governance reforms How to Engage Universities and Academic Bodies: Existing universities of agriculture and their governing councils may make written submissions to the House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions during the public hearing stage Civil Society and Research Institutions: Agricultural research bodies, farmer organisations, NGOs, and academic associations can participate in committee public hearings to provide evidence-based input on the Bill’s provisions State Governments: State governments seeking to host a new federal university of agriculture under the amendment should engage the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Bill’s sponsor Tracking the Bill: The Bill can be tracked through the National Assembly’s official legislative portal and Order Papers published at nass.gov.ng Contact: House of Representatives Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions | National Assembly Complex, Abuja | nass.gov.ng | Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development: agriculture.gov.ng

Important Terms

Cap. F22: The chapter designation of the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 — the principal statute this Amendment Bill seeks to amend Universities of Agriculture: Specialised federal universities established under the Act with a mandate focused on agricultural education, adaptive research, and rural extension services, distinct from general-purpose federal universities Agricultural Universities Co-ordination Agency: A body under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture responsible for monitoring and co-ordinating the academic and physical development of all universities of agriculture in Nigeria Visitor: The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who serves as the Visitor to all federal universities of agriculture; the Visitor conducts statutory visitations and acts as final arbiter on institutional disputes First Reading: The formal introduction of a Bill in the legislature; no debate occurs at this stage — it simply places the Bill on the legislative record and schedule for subsequent readings and committee review Impact & Implications Expansion of specialised agricultural higher education capacity in Nigeria, addressing the severe deficit of trained agricultural scientists, engineers, and extension workers needed to drive food security Geopolitical equity in access to federal universities of agriculture — existing institutions are concentrated in the South-West, North-Central, and South-East; new amendments address gaps in other zones Strengthened legal and governance framework for institutions that play a critical role in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation, contributing to food self-sufficiency, agribusiness development, and rural poverty reduction Alignment with Nigeria’s National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy and the Federal Government’s ambition to reduce food import dependency and increase agricultural GDP contribution

Official Resources

Website: nass.gov.ng | agriculture.gov.ng | nuc.edu.ng Bill Reference: HB.1787 — Federal Universities of Agriculture Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 | Order Paper No. 99, 6th February, 2025 Parent Act: Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 — available via placng.org/lawsofnigeria Contact: National Assembly, House of Representatives, Abuja, Nigeria Summary prepared using the Policy Summary Template | Source: HB.1787, NASS Order Paper No. 99 (6 February 2025), Federal Universities of Agriculture Act Cap. F22 LFN 2004, PLAC Laws of Nigeria | March 2026

Legal Framework

The Federal Universities of Agriculture Act (Amendment) Bill operates under the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act (Cap. F22, Laws of the Federation), the National Universities Commission Act, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Act 2011. It aligns with the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, the National Agricultural Policy, and the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) collaborative research framework for agricultural universities.