Last Updated on October 6, 2026 by Olasunkanmi Olajide
RIKE-SD, FUNAAB Poised for Partnership to Upscale FUNAAB-Alpha
By Olasunkanmi Olajide & David Johnson
The Research, Innovation, Knowledge, Enterprise, Commercialisation and Sustainable Development (RIKE-SD) on September 30, 2026, facilitated strategic engagements with key stakeholders to strengthen collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), in a bid to commercialise and expand the University’s indigenous poultry innovation, FUNAAB-Alpha.
The engagement preceded the working visit of the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, to FUNAAB, during which the Federal Government expressed its readiness to support the commercialisation and expansion of FUNAAB-Alpha to strengthen livestock genetics and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported breeding stock.
Receiving the RIKE-SD delegation, led by its Team Lead, Research and Innovation, Dr. Luqman Popoola, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to deepening the partnership, particularly in promoting the sustainability, commercial viability and wider adoption of FUNAAB-Alpha.
Prof. Kehinde appreciated RIKE-SD for its longstanding collaboration with the University, describing FUNAAB-Alpha as a home-grown poultry breeding innovation with significant potential to advance Nigeria’s livestock industry. He noted that the initiative had progressed beyond the funding stage, making sustainability and commercial expansion key priorities.
The Vice-Chancellor assured the delegation of FUNAAB’s readiness and capacity to strengthen the partnership, expressing optimism that the renewed engagement would create further opportunities for collaboration in research, innovation, enterprise development and agricultural commercialisation.
Earlier, Dr. Popoola described RIKE-SD as an organisation committed to advancing research, innovation, knowledge, enterprise, commercialisation and sustainable development. He highlighted its longstanding collaboration with FUNAAB in indigenous poultry breeding, production and research through the FUNAAB-Alpha initiative.
He further disclosed that RIKE-SD was exploring opportunities to broaden its collaboration with the University through the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (LPRES) project, which could provide additional avenues for scaling up the commercial potential of FUNAAB-Alpha.
The RIKE-SD delegation also included Mr. Jamaldeen Lawal, Products Development Lead, and Alh: Musbau Kolapo, Managing Director of Muskol Global Logistics Ltd., an innovation enthusiast and prospective private-sector partner.
Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Olusegun Idowu; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Prof. Olawale Dairo; Registrar, Dr. Titus Adeniyi; Director, Biotechnology Centre and Central Laboratory, Prof. Ayotunde Adebambo; and Deputy Dean, Student Affairs, Dr. Mathew Wheto.
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