EU Officials Assess Mobility Grant Projects at FUT Minna
Adelowo Oladipo, Minna
Officials of the European Union (EU) Mission on Thursday, January 8, 2026, carried out an on-site assessment and courtesy visit to the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, to evaluate EU-funded mobility grant projects being implemented by the institution.
The visit, which took place at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Room, Main Campus, Gidan Kwano, was led by Ms. Huba Boshoff.
She explained that the exercise was aimed at following up on grants awarded to the University, particularly those supporting student and staff mobility programmes.
According to her, the grants include scholarships for foreign students studying at FUT Minna, as well as outbound exchange opportunities for FUT Minna students to selected African countries.
She noted that the visit also provided an opportunity for the delegation to interact with project coordinators, academic staff and beneficiaries, assess project implementation, identify challenges and make recommendations for improvement.
In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta, described FUT Minna as one of Nigeria’s leading universities, ranking seventh among over 300 universities nationwide.
He reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to its core mandates of teaching, research and community service, stressing that impactful research remains central to innovation and societal development.
Following the courtesy visit, the EU delegation visited the African Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS), where presentations were made by key project stakeholders.
The Director, Collaboration,
Affiliations and Linkages (DCAL) and Legal Entity Appointed Representative for EU Project Grants, Prof. Israel Kayode Olayemi, presented an overview of FUT Minna and its mobility projects. He highlighted the University’s mandate, academic strengths, governance structure, research centres and expanding national and international collaborations.
Prof. Olayemi emphasised that student and staff mobility programmes have become strategic tools for enhancing academic quality, institutional capacity, global visibility and international partnerships.
Another presentation was delivered by the Coordinator of the African Water Resources Mobility Network (AWARMAN), Prof. Francis Arimoro, who described FUT Minna as a major hub for research and capacity building in West Africa. He noted that EU-supported projects have strengthened capacity in critical areas such as artificial intelligence and clean energy to address societal challenges.
Similarly, the Director of the Entrepreneurship Centre, Prof. A. Caroline, presented updates on the Home Grown Clean Energy Solution Project, disclosing that six FUT Minna students—two PhD candidates and four Master’s students—are currently benefiting from the programme.
She added that two undergraduate students were also sponsored for a three-month intensive training programme in Uganda.
Officials from the Bursary and Audit Units provided briefings on the financial management and accountability framework of the projects, while undergraduate and postgraduate beneficiaries shared their experiences from various exchange and mobility programmes.
At the exit meeting with University Management on Friday, January 9, 2026, the EU Mission commended FUT Minna for the warm reception and effective implementation of the projects.
Ms. Boshoff observed a strong level of institutional commitment to the objectives of the EU-funded programmes, noting positive feedback from both local and exchange students.
She praised the University’s Project Office, as well as the Teaching and Learning, Innovation and Research units, for their close engagement with students.
Ms. Boshoff also noted that the University’s high number of Professors is a significant strength and urged management to ensure that research outputs are closely linked to community development.
She further emphasised the need to integrate an entrepreneurship mindset into the University’s vision and mission to expand opportunities for Nigerians.
Another member of the delegation, Prof. Patricio Langa, underscored the importance of sustained research development in universities.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Kuta assured the EU delegation that the University Management would carefully review the observations and recommendations made and take necessary steps to strengthen areas identified for improvement.