The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, has embarked on oversight visits to agricultural research institutes and colleges across the country, reassuring them of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to repositioning the sector.
Speaking during his visit to the National Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) in Lagos on Monday, September 22, 2025, Dr. Dabban commended the institute’s teamwork and operational efficiency, described them as key to its success. He urged staff to remain committed and supportive of the management, assuring them that issues relating to welfare, funding, and conditions of service are receiving government attention.
“This is a new dawn, and we will change the narrative,” Dr. Dabban said. “We want to see associate professors in the research circle, and we need your support to change the nomenclature. Talks are ongoing with the Head of Service, TETFund, and the Nigerian Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) to secure better opportunities for staff.”
The Executive Director of NIOMR, Prof. Abiodun Sule, outlined the institute’s contributions to food security, sustainable marine resource exploitation, and environmental protection, noting that its research outputs continue to boost GDP and reduce poverty. He pledged NIOMR’s readiness to support ARCN, especially in data collection.
Dr. Dabban also visited the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos, where he praised the college’s progress and disclosed that a memorandum of understanding with TETFund would soon be finalized to address funding gaps for academic and research staff.
The Provost of the College, Dr. Paul Chuks Onuoha, highlighted achievements including accreditation of marine engineering and HND programmes, growth in student population from 500 to 2,000, and the construction of new hostels, laboratories, and workshops. He added that the college now enjoys 24-hour power supply through solar energy and reaffirmed its support for ARCN’s reform agenda.
