Bayero University, Kano (BUK), is set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hubei Technology Market Association of China to deepen collaboration in agricultural technology, innovation, and best farming practices.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Haruna Musa, fsi, disclosed this when he received a delegation from the Chinese association on a courtesy visit on Friday, January 16, 2026. The delegation was accompanied by a team from the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA), led by its Director, Professor Sanusi Gaya Mohammed.
Professor Musa expressed the University’s readiness to partner with Chinese institutions and companies, noting that Nigerian universities are open to collaborations that will strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, particularly in agriculture, research, and innovation.
He described the visit as timely and significant, stressing that the relationship between Nigeria and China continues to grow stronger. According to him, BUK and other Nigerian universities are eager to collaborate with Chinese market associations to promote sustainable agricultural development and modern farming practices.
The Vice-Chancellor recalled that only two months earlier, he had been in China where BUK signed an MoU for the establishment of a China–Africa Joint Laboratory on Agricultural Machinery. The agreement, he explained, is a tripartite partnership involving BUK, 19 Chinese research institutes on agricultural mechanisation, and the Ginjing Academy for Agricultural Machinery, with implementation expected to commence in 2026.
Professor Musa further noted that BUK, as a second-generation university, places strong emphasis on research and innovation, and remains open to ideas and partnerships that advance knowledge and development locally and globally. He also informed the delegation that BUK currently ranks as the third best university in Nigeria and leads nationally in international visibility, assuring the visitors that necessary steps would be taken to fast-track the proposed MoU and its implementation.
Earlier, the Director of the Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Professor Sanusi Gaya Mohammed, revealed that in November 2025, CDA signed an MoU with a consortium of China-based agricultural companies to foster collaboration with Chinese institutes. He explained that the current visit was aimed at consolidating those engagements and expanding discussions with BUK and other Nigerian institutions.
Professor Mohammed also highlighted practical outcomes of the partnership, stating that during his visit to China, he brought back dry-season carrot and rapeseed seeds, which have since been successfully cultivated at the CDA farm. He said the Chinese delegation was impressed by the crops’ performance in the local environment, with carrots already harvested and tasted by the visitors.
He added that a private company, Sylvex—one of CDA’s strategic partners—is already exploring large-scale utilisation of rapeseed, noting that CDA would be the first institution in Nigeria to cultivate the crop at scale, with prospects for export.
The Chinese delegation was led by the Chairman of the Hubei Technology Market Association, Mr. Zheng Ming Zhu, and facilitated by the Country Representative, Professor Yuan Gou Bao. Mr. Zhu expressed appreciation for the opportunity to collaborate with BUK and nine other Nigerian universities, particularly in agricultural innovation and technology transfer.
As part of the visit, the delegation toured the CDA Training and Research Farm, including plots where carrot varieties grown from Chinese seedlings are thriving. Members of the delegation expressed satisfaction with the successful adaptation of both carrot and rapeseed varieties to the local environment.
Discussions between the Chinese team, CDA, and representatives of Nigerian universities focused on proposed areas of collaboration, including the establishment of a joint agricultural demonstration centre in Nigeria, deployment of smart agricultural solutions, strengthening of agricultural value chains, and human resource development through capacity building.