The Obafemi Awolowo University, a member of a consortium of four Nigerian universities, three European universities and a cloud funding digital ecosystem organization, are the winners
and beneficiaries of an EU grant award on establishment of Master of Science Degree Program in Smart Farming and IoT in Agriculture, code named MESITA: ERASMUS-EDU-2025- CBHE-STRAND-2.

This ambitious project which was kick-started in November, 2025 in Abuja, is set to revolutionize agriculture in the region by integrating advanced agricultural technologies through a specialized Master’s program across the four universities in Nigeria. This programme is aimed at equipping graduates with smart agricultural skills, the initiative also focuses on promoting sustainable and climate-friendly farming practices. It fosters vital university-industry cooperation and boosts entrepreneurship and employability in the smart agriculture sector, addressing essential needs in Nigeria.

The project’s innovative curriculum encompasses embedded systems, AI applications, and smart agricultural practices, fostering a knowledge and technology transfer from the EU to Nigeria. This transfer is designed to catalyze digital transformation and sustainable growth in the agriculture sector. MESITA’s societal impact is far-reaching, enhancing agricultural productivity and efficiency, thereby improving food security, generating employment, and supporting environmental sustainability.

It aims to fill the existing educational gap in precision agriculture, aligning with EU policies and contributing to global efforts to combat the food crisis, sustainable agriculture, gender equality in agribusiness and climate change. By fostering cooperation between EU, MESITA is poised to be a pivotal force in modernizing agriculture in Nigeria.

The following are the participating international and national institutions:

1. University of Siegen (USI), Siegen, Germany,(International Coordinator).
2. The Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr), Poland.
3. The University of Food Technology(UFT), Bulgaria.
4. University of Port-Harcourt (UPH), Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.
5. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOU), Nigeria.
6. Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
7. Enugu State University of Science and Technology(ESUT), Enugu, Nigeria.
8. AlumUnite Limited, Lekki, Nigeria.

The members of the OAU team are: Prof. S.O. Ajadi (Team Leader), Prof. A.S. Bamire, Prof. G.A. Aderounmu, Prof. S.A. Bello, Prof. M.L. Sanni, Dr. S.A. Muda and Dr. R.A. Adetona.