Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), has reaffirmed its ambition to become Africa’s leading centre for robotics and engineering innovation and it is backing that vision with world-class facilities, strategic partnerships, and a clear message to the continent: the future of engineering belongs here.
The declaration came on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, when the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. E. SmarandaOlarinde, FCArb, FCAI, received a delegation from the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Benin City Section 116, on a courtesy visit to her office.
“In our College of Engineering alone we have 43 laboratories with highly qualified faculty members, coming next to our College of Medicine and Health Sciences and our Multi-System Hospital (AMSH) in terms of state-of-the-art facility,” she said.
Prof. Olarinde made it clear that ABUAD is not simply open to collaboration, it is actively seeking it. The university welcomes partnerships that deliver tangible value to students, staff, and the broader institution, she said, and is particularly keen to ensure that such collaborations extend across disciplines.
“ABUAD is interested in partnerships of this magnitude. I also hope students and experts from other disciplines will be welcomed to participate, as we have in our College of Law through the Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES Sustainability Innovation Hub),” she added.
Speaking on behalf of the SPE delegation, the Student Affairs Chair, Engr. Dr. Anthony Adingwupu, praised ABUAD’s warm reception and described the university as one of the society’s strongest student chapters, with over 100 active student members.
The visit marks the latest in a series of institutional engagements that underscore ABUAD’s growing reputation as a hub for research, innovation, and industry collaboration, not just within Nigeria, but across the continent.