Last Updated on April 16, 2025 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
As part of strategic efforts to reposition the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) for sustainable growth and innovation, the University has commenced a comprehensive upgrade of its digital infrastructure through the FUNAAB Portal Modernisation and Extension Project.
To ensure inclusivity and alignment with institutional goals, a Two-day Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting was held on April 9 and 10, 2025. The forum brought together key actors from across the University to gather critical feedback, share ideas, and strengthen collective ownership of the project.
The meeting was presided over by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olukayode Akinyemi, who represented the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde. In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor described the initiative as a strategic leap toward a robust and responsive University Management System, calling on stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the digital transformation process.
Setting the tone for discussions on the topic “Over a Decade of Growth, A Bold New Step,” the Ag. Director of the Information and Communication Technology Resource Centre (ICTREC), Mr. Temitope Soretire, offered a compelling case for the portal upgrade. He recalled that the current portal system was developed in 2010 when FUNAAB had 8 Colleges, 37 Departments, 22 Undergraduate Programmes, and fewer than 9,000 students.
“Today, we operate with 10 Colleges, 58 Departments, 44 Undergraduate Programmes, and over 21,000 Undergraduate students, a more than 200% increase,” Mr. Soretire stated. “To sustain this trajectory, we must embrace a more scalable and future-ready platform.”
He further stated that to drive the transformation, FUNAAB has partnered with SysBean, a tech firm led by an alumnus and former ICTREC staff, Mr. Yusuf Adeyemi, who also spearheaded the development of the current system. His deep institutional knowledge and proven track record made him a natural choice for the new phase.
Speaking during the engagement, Prof. Akinyemi highlighted the University’s ongoing academic expansion, including partnerships with the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan (FCAIB), the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH), and support for the Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Abeokuta (FUMMSA). He noted that FUNAAB’s digital platform must evolve to manage these expanding academic responsibilities seamlessly, stressing that academic growth demands digital agility.
He, therefore, called for honest feedback from participants, urging them to help shape a portal system that is agile, inclusive, and primed for both present and future challenges.
In his technical presentation, tagged, “Towards a Smarter, More Flexible System,” Mr. Yusuf Adeyemi introduced the architecture of the new portal, which would shift from the existing monolithic design to a microservices-based system. The modern framework, he explained, would allow for independent development of features, ease of scalability, and overall better system performance.
While commending the current University Management System (UMS) for effectively handling over 5 million grades, more than 61,000 student records, and financial transactions running into billions, Mr. Adeyemi stressed the need for a more dynamic platform to meet rising institutional demands.
Day One of the meeting focused on the results processing module, a critical component of the portal. Under the coordination of the DVCA, stakeholders dissected workflows around enrolment, course registration, curriculum management, and results processing, to improve efficiency and reduce redundancies.
Present at the session were the Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Olajide Sogunle; Chairman, Committee of Deans and Directors (CODAD) and Dean of COLPHYS, Prof. Adio Akinwale; as well as Deans, Deputy Deans, Heads of Department, Course Coordinators, and representatives of Senate and College Committees on Examination Results (SECOCER and COCER). Among them were notable figures such as the Chairman of SECOCER, Prof. Abdul Lateef Shotuyo, and former SECOCER Chairmen, Prof. Christian Ikeobi, also a former DVCA and Prof. Olusegun Idowu.
Day Two was equally engaging, focusing on units that interface directly with the portal, such as the Admissions Committee (ADMICO), Postgraduate School, Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE), Part-Time Degree Programme, Institute of Human Resources Development (INHURD), Bursary, Senate and Admissions, Exams and Records, Health Services, and the Centre for Community-Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS).
The Portal Modernisation and Extension Project would cover a wide array of services including Undergraduate, Part-Time, Postgraduate, CEADESE, and INHURD Programmes, as well as payment processing. The project is designed to run in phases over an eight-month timeline.
Photos are attached below 👇
Credit: Raymond Osemene
