By Edu Abade
The Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), Delta State, has reaffirmed its position as a continental leader in environmental sustainability following an advocacy visit by the Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
The CODAF delegation, led by its and Executive Director, Mr. Benin Richard, Director of Campaigns and Administration, Mr. Maimoni Ubrei-Joe, met with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ezekiel Agbalagba to discuss and collaborate on the expansion of the University’s Zero Waste initiative.
During the visit that was facilitated by Director of the Centre for Waste Management and Sustainable Resources at FUPRE, Dr. Akinyemi Ogunkeyede, while introducing the CODAF team, highlighted the strong partnership between the University and the organization, noting that FUPRE is among the first universities in Africa to fully embrace and implement Zero Waste practices.
He emphasized that the one-year collaboration has already positioned FUPRE as a trailblazer in institutional sustainability on the continent.
Speaking at the meeting, CODAF’s Executive Director, Mr. Benin Richard, commended the Vice Chancellor for his commitment to sustaining and scaling up the Zero Waste project initiated by his predecessor.
He noted that CODAF had successfully completed the first phase of the initiative and is now ready to support the University in developing a postgraduate programme in Zero Waste. He added that CODAF is committed to collaborating with FUPRE on curriculum development for both academic and certificate-level training.
Responding, Prof. Agbalagba expressed strong support for the expansion of sustainability-driven programmes within the University.
“As an Environmentalist, I will always support initiatives that will help the University conserve her environment and spend less on waste management,” he said, while further reaffirming his dedication to ensuring that the proposed academic programme on Zero Waste receives all the necessary institutional backing to commence as soon as possible.
The visit also highlighted FUPRE’s ongoing commitment to pioneering environmental innovation and strengthening academic pathways that advance sustainable development across Nigeria and Africa.
