Restoration of academic programmes: MOUAU honours Sam Onuigbo with Ambassador Plenipotentiary Award

The Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU) has conferred its prestigious COLMAS Ambassador Plenipotentiary Award on Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the institution’s academic and administrative development.

Onuigbo is the member representing the South East on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission and a former National Assembly member who sponsored the Climate Change Act, 2021.

The award, conveyed in a letter dated December 2, 2025 and signed by Professor Wilson Ani, Dean, College of Management Sciences (COLMAS), highlighted Onuigbo’s “extraordinary partnership” and “strategic interventions” that helped restore and revitalize several programmes in the College.

Among his contributions were the restoration of five academic programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC), relisting of COLMAS programmes on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) platform, securing bilateral approvals from the Federal Ministries of Education and Agriculture and Food Security, and mobilizing students into the programmes even after JAMB admissions had been closed.

His efforts also led to the exceptional admission performance of the College – 1,398 students offered admission, representing 25.36% of the entire admission into MOUAU this year, surpassed only by the Faculty of Engineering by a margin of 23 students, the enrolment and registration of over 1,200 students, approximately 90% of those admitted as well as oversubscription into key departments such as Business Administration and Accounting, with Economics also recording impressive numbers.

Delivering a keynote address at the event which was also the opening ceremony of the 2nd International Hybrid Conference organized by the College of Management Sciences of the university with theme: “Innovation and Sustainability of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs in Emerging Economies”, Rt. Hon Sam Onuigbo pointed out that Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, play a critical role in the emerging economies given its contribution to global market in relation to share business, employment and impact on the environment and GDP.

According to him, innovation and sustainability have the potentials to eliminate supply chain disruptions, attract new customers, enhance human capacity building and guarantee long-term survival.

Onuigbo who represented Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal Constituency in the 8th and 9th National Assembly noted that the micro small and medium enterprises has significantly contributed 87.9% of labour force representing approximately 96.9% of businesses, 6.21% of exports and about 46.32% to the National GDP, expressing shock that MSMEs are mostly ran by women and young people in the informal economy.

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his the tax reforms which he noted will impact positively on the economy particularly on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The former National Assembly member expressed gratitude to the university for the recognition and pledged to continue supporting MOUAU. “I will not relent,” he said.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Nneoma Elechi, commended Rt. Hon. Sam Onuigbo for his unwavering support to the university and expressed optimism that the conference would generate new ideas for national economic advancement.

The award adds to the growing list of honours for the former lawmaker, renowned for his role in Nigeria’s Climate Change Act and his developmental contributions across sectors.