Centre for Food Technology and Research
CEFTER trains both high- and lower-level manpower to address food waste across West and Central Africa.
Photos: CEFTER, Makurdi
About CEFTER
CEFTER trains both high- and lower-level manpower to address food waste across West and Central Africa. It was one of 24 Centres selected through a competitive World Bank process among more than 150 universities in the region, with the objective of improving the quality of higher education tied to post-harvest loss reduction.
How the Centre trains
The Centre runs a multi-disciplinary training model that pairs core university professors with industry-based experts, from curriculum design through to a mandatory industry internship, so graduates leave with both research depth and hands-on production experience.
The University on film
Inside the Centre
The Centre at work, in its own photographs.
Facilities
The Centre’s building and its food-science laboratories are on the University campus, beside the CEFTER Food Technology Innovation Complex, a World Bank-supported centre of excellence for development impact.
About the Centre
Food Technology
Value-added food products are developed and processed at the Centre and shown at its Food Week and Exhibition.
The products pictured carry the Centre’s own labels: CEFTER Bread; dried mango chips, tomato paste, dried locust beans and dried lemon rings; and fish oil from the 2023 exhibition.
See the Food Week gallery
Training
The Centre runs a multi-disciplinary training model that pairs core university professors with industry-based experts, from curriculum design through to a mandatory industry internship, so graduates leave with both research depth and hands-on production experience.
Beside its 9 postgraduate programmes, the Centre runs short diploma courses in Food Preservation, Pest Control and Produce Management.
Explore programmes
Field & Outreach
To promote teaching, research and extension in post-harvest sciences, and to enhance agricultural productivity and industrial output for the socio-economic advancement of Nigeria and Africa.
Engage communities, farmers and industries in the dissemination of post-harvest-loss technologies.
Research at the CentreBy the numbers
The 2021/2022 session is not included in the Centre’s supplied enrolment record.
Students enrolled per session
Busiest sessionOf 81 regional-cohort students, 43 have graduated:25 male18 female
International community
18 on PhD tracks and 2 on MSc tracks, drawn from 7 countries across West, Central and East Africa.
By country of origin
By programme
Accredited programmes
Short diploma courses
Training lower-level manpower and farmers and food handlers directly.
Leadership
Director
Prof. Sylvester AdejoDeputy Director, Research & Collaboration
Bill Ushahemba AshaverPrincipal Assistant RegistrarCentre workforce
50 staffAdvisory panel
Reach out to the relevant adviser for guidance on a specific crop, commodity or research-to-market question.
Outreach
Value-added food products developed and processed at the Centre, showcased at the 2023 Food Week and Exhibition. Select a photo for a larger view.
Student life
Self-contained hostel rooms with a kitchen, toilet and internet service
CCTV-monitored hostels with a manned security post around the clock
Every student receives accommodation support, tuition support, or a full scholarship
A new 100-bed hostel is under construction beside the Postgraduate Centre
Fully air-conditioned, smart-enabled lecture halls with touch boards and projectors
A 3-month mandatory internship placing students in at least three industries and one research institute after coursework
CEFTER runs a Language Support Unit equipped with 50 translation devices, delivered with the Department of Languages and Linguistics, plus mandatory intercultural-communication training for every incoming cohort.