OFFERCentre Institute of Agriculture is an Innovative Enterprise Institute (IEI) that got its accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education and the Federal Ministry of Education in December 2015. Hence, it commenced its first set of Diploma training (NID) in Agriculture in Jan. 2016.
The Institute was also approved to award the National Vocational Certificate in Agriculture same year. The latter caters for Agripreneurs to improve their knowledge and sharpen their skills in agribusinesses through short courses that can run for one or few weeks, few months to one, two or three years as the case may be according to the demand of the trainee in consonance with the NBTE standard.
The National Vocational Certification actually authenticated the skill acquisition programme the organization had been running for youths in Agriculture through Corporate Social Responsibility since its inception in 2006. Then known as OFFERCentre (Oluponna Fish Farming and Education Resource Centre), the erstwhile organization was in good standing with Corporate organizations like the French Embassy, the DCC (Delegation of Catholic Corporation), Esso in production sharing contract with NNPC, JDPC and JDPM, Arik Air, Irish Embassy, Proparco and ACCEUIL to empower indigent youths in the areas of agriculture, catering and Craft. It was that skill acquisition centre that metamorphosized into the great Institution we have today, OFFERCentre Institute of Agriculture, Oluponna.
The growth of the two programmes under the NBTE|FME umbrella has become a source of strength to the Centre that no other Institution in Nigeria can boast of. Moving forward, other companies like Chevron, TOTAL, NETCO, EKIMIKS realizing the good the NVC programme is doing in the lives of our youths to create employment and open vistas to them, have come on board to add their quota to youth training and capacity building. The NVC programme can only get better therefore as individuals are also catching in on the short courses.
In January 2020, the National Innovative Diploma welcomed a new course to the Institution; NID and NVC in Hospitality and Tourism. In the Spirit of the IEI we therefore welcome young and old to embrace this opportunity; 'Young' referring to school Certificate holders who after the two years Diploma course can further their education in Universities and Polytechnics of their choice. The 'Old', being unemployed graduates, retirees and others who can use this platform of the H&T, NVC or NID to switch Career lines or jobs. This is a wise option available for us rather than stay idle, mourning the loss of a job or the unavailability of one.
The Institute is sitting on a 56 acre piece of land, well layed out in a green eco-friendly environment conducive for learning, creative thinking and innovation. We look forward to growing the Institution with you.