…As She Leads a High-Powered Delegation on Strategic Visit to FUNAAB
By Olasunkanmi Olajide & Femi Dansu
In a significant demonstration of Africa’s growing commitment to cross-border collaboration in education, leadership, and sustainable development, Madame Monica Hage Geingos, the 3rd First Lady of Namibia and founder of the One Economy Foundation, has called on African universities to take a leading role in transforming the continent’s rapidly expanding population into a globally competitive workforce.
Speaking today, June 3, 2026, during a Strategic Courtesy Visit to the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Africa’s foremost University of Agriculture, Madame Geingos stressed the urgency of investing in education, innovation, and leadership development as Africa positions itself for a future in which one out of every four people globally is projected to be African by 2050.
Addressing university leaders, Academics, policymakers, and students, she noted that Africa’s demographic growth presents a historic opportunity, but warned that population expansion alone would not guarantee prosperity without deliberate investments in human capital development. “The challenge before Africa is not merely population growth, but preparing that population with the knowledge, competencies, and values required to compete and lead in a rapidly evolving global economy,” she said.
Madame Geingos identified the widening gap between industry expectations and graduate competencies as one of the most pressing challenges confronting African economies. She stressed that universities must work more closely with governments, businesses, and development institutions to produce graduates equipped with both technical expertise and leadership capacity.
Drawing from the work of the Leadership Lab and the Dr. Hage G. Geingob Presidential Centre, Madame Geingos emphasised the importance of ethical leadership in Africa’s development journey. She explained that the initiatives were designed to cultivate a new generation of leaders capable of navigating complex governance challenges while remaining committed to integrity, accountability, and public service.
Reflecting on the legacy of her late husband, , she described him as a visionary Pan-African leader whose lifelong commitment to education, transparency, and national development has continued to inspire emerging leaders across the continent.
As part of efforts to preserve and promote his intellectual contributions, Madame Geingos promised to present a copy of the late President’s Doctoral thesis on state formation to FUNAAB. She also highlighted the enduring relationship between Nigeria and Namibia, paying tribute to Nigeria’s historic role in Namibia’s liberation struggle and acknowledging the influence of renowned Nigerian economist and statesman, late Prof. Adebayo Adedeji whom she described as one of President Geingob’s mentors and a champion of African integration.
Welcoming the distinguished delegation, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde described the visit as a testament to the University’s growing relevance in shaping conversations around higher education, innovation, and sustainable development across Africa.
He highlighted FUNAAB’s continued excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement, noting that the University has established itself as a leading centre for agricultural education and innovation on the continent. According to him, the University remains committed to producing graduates who combine academic excellence with practical skills through mentorship programmes, industry partnerships, and international collaborations.
His words, “For about 4 decades, our University has been at the forefront of Research, Innovation and education. We have witnessed tremendous growth and progress in all spheres and it is therefore fitting that we are ranked the BEST in Africa and the 7th Best in the globally. ”
The engagement served as an important platform for discussions on workforce development, governance, youth empowerment, ethical leadership, and Africa’s future. More importantly, it reinforced FUNAAB’s position as a bastion of impactful partnerships, bringing together influential leaders, policymakers, scholars, and development practitioners to advance solutions to some of Africa’s most pressing challenges.
Madame Geingos was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included the Pro-Chancellor of Aletheia University, Chief (Mrs.) Nike Akande CON; Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Wald Ndevashiya; Chairperson, Dr. Hage G. Geingob Presidential Library, Prof. Peter Katjavivi; Managing Director, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Mr. Vitalis Ortese, and senior officials from the One Economy Foundation and Leadership Lab.
Meanwhile, the visit represented another milestone in FUNAAB’s growing network of strategic partnerships and its commitment to fostering knowledge-driven solutions, leadership excellence, and sustainable development across Africa and beyond. Over the years, the University has continued to expand its global footprint through research collaborations, innovation-driven initiatives, academic exchanges, and partnerships focused on food security, sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship, and youth empowerment.
