By : Mandy Park
The Governing Council and Management Team of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Nigeria, have resolved to work collaboratively to ensure that the 14-year-old Ivory Tower stands as one of the world’s leading universities by 2050, becoming digitally empowered, financially sustainable, ethically grounded, and socially responsive.
The decision was reached at the recent joint Council and Management Retreat themed “FUOYE Beyond Today: Strategic Alignment, Governance, Partnership and Financial Sustainability for the Next 25 Years (2026–2050)”
Held in Lagos from January 11 to 13, 2026, the joint retreat was meant to deliberate on the future direction of FUOYE, and consider the proposed 25-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2050).
According to the communique issued, “The Retreat, reaffirmed the collective commitment of Council and Management to the full implementation of the FUOYE 25-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2050) as a transformational instrument for institutional excellence, national relevance, and global competitiveness.”
The Retreat unanimously agreed that: “FUOYE must transition deliberately into a digitally driven, entrepreneurially oriented, and globally connected university over the next 25 years; Financial sustainability must be strengthened through diversified revenue sources, including endowments, alumni giving, PPPs, grants, and enterprise-based income; Governance systems must be reinforced to ensure clarity of roles, transparency, accountability, and performance-based management; and Risk management, campus safety, and institutional resilience must be mainstreamed into strategic and operational decision-making.”
On the key highlights of the strategic plan, “The Retreat noted that the Strategic Plan is anchored on five strategic themes and twelve priorities, including: Digital transformation and smart campus development; Academic excellence and global competitiveness; Entrepreneurship, innovation, and graduate employability; Societal impact and community engagement; Governance reform, human capital development, and financial sustainability.
“The Plan adopts a five-phase rolling implementation framework (2026–2050) supported by measurable Key Performance Indices (KPIs), a condensed Gantt timeline, and a robust monitoring and evaluation system.”
The communique indicated that “After extensive presentations, deliberations, and interactive sessions, the Retreat observed “That the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, was warmly commended for the excellent leadership and notable milestones recorded during his tenure, which significantly strengthened the academic, research, infrastructural, and institutional standing of the University.
“The Retreat further congratulated Professor Joshua Ogunwole on his appointment as the incoming Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti.
“The Governing Council, under the leadership of Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, was commended for the transparent, credible, and seamless Vice-Chancellor appointment process, which was widely acknowledged as a model of good governance.
“The Retreat noted with satisfaction that both the outgoing and incoming Vice-Chancellors were actively involved in the initiation and development of the FUOYE 25-Year Strategic Plan, a development which augurs well for leadership continuity, institutional stability, and the smooth implementation of the Strategic Plan.
“That FUOYE has recorded remarkable growth and institutional milestones since inception in 2011, including expansion of academic programmes, improved research visibility, strong community engagement, and rising national and global recognition.”
At the conclusion of the Council–Management Strategic Retreat, the FUOYE Governing Council headed by the Pro-Chancellor, Senator Ndoma-Egba, RESOLVED as follows:
“Council RESOLVED to approve the FUOYE 25-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2050) as the official long-term strategic framework for the development and governance of the University, subject to periodic review in line with best practices.
“Council RESOLVED to approve the establishment of a Strategic Plan Implementation Committee (SPIC) to be chaired by the Vice-Chancellor (or nominee), with representation from Council, Management, and key operational units.
“The Committee shall: Coordinate phased implementation of the Strategic Plan; Monitor performance against approved KPIs; and Submit annual implementation and performance reports to Council.
“Council RESOLVED to approve the establishment of a FUOYE Endowment Fund, with an initial seed capital of ₦1 billion to be mobilised commencing in 2026, subject to availability of funds and approved fundraising mechanisms.
“Council further directed that: A governance and investment framework be developed for the Endowment Fund; Council shall exercise fiduciary oversight over the Fund; Annual reports on the Endowment Fund be presented to Council.”
On financial sustainability and revenue diversification, “Council RESOLVED to mandate Management to aggressively pursue: Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) expansion; Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs); Competitive grants and donor funding; Alumni and philanthropic contributions, in alignment with the approved Strategic Plan.
On Monitoring, Evaluation, and Accountability, “Council RESOLVED that: A digital KPI dashboard be instituted for Council oversight; Strategic performance reviews be conducted annually; and Independent external reviews be commissioned every five years.”
As regards Risk Management and Institutional Resilience, “Council RESOLVED to direct Management to mainstream risk management, campus security, cybersecurity, and crisis preparedness into all strategic and operational frameworks of the University.
“Council RESOLVED that implementation of the Strategic Plan shall commence immediately upon approval, beginning with Phase I (2025–2030) priorities.”
