The Senate has passed the bill seeking the upgrading of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), Ondo State, to the Federal University of Agriculture, Akure.

The bill, which was passed on Thursday, was sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ondo Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN.

The College of Agriculture was established on January 10, 1957, by the then Government of Western Nigeria and was originally known as the School of Agriculture, Akure.

The bill, titled Federal University of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State (Establishment) Bill, 2024, was read for the first time in the Senate on May 15, 2024.

It passed its second reading on October 8, 2024, following Adegbonmire’s presentation of the general principles of the proposed legislation.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund for further consideration.

The passage of the bill represents a major milestone in the legislative process initiated by Adegbonmire to secure university status for the institution which has operated for more than 69 years as a college of agriculture.

It also marks a significant step towards the proposed transformation of the institution into a full-fledged federal university of agriculture.

The proposed university is expected to expand opportunities for higher education and specialised agricultural training in Ondo State and beyond.