The Management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has appointed Professor Christopher Oluwakunmi Akinbile as the Dean of the School of Infrastructural, Minerals and Manufacturing Engineering (SIMME) for a two-year term effective August 1, 2025.
The appointment follows his election by the School’s Board of Studies and subsequent approval by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji.
Profile of Academic Excellence
Born on December 14, 1975, in Ikire, Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, Professor Akinbile hails from the family of the late Chief Abimbola Olugbenga Akinbile and Madam Felicia Abosede Akinbile. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from FUTA in 1999 and proceeded to the University of Ibadan, where he obtained both his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Engineering, specializing in Soil and Water Engineering, in 2001 and 2009 respectively.
Professor Akinbile began his academic career at the University of Uyo before joining FUTA in October 2004 as a Lecturer II. He rose through the ranks and became a Professor in October 2016.
International Exposure and Recognition
His post-doctoral fellowship at Universiti Sains Malaysia (2010–2011) and visiting scientist position at Universiti Putra Malaysia (2015) were both facilitated by the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Through TWAS and other global academic platforms, he has undertaken research or speaking engagements in France, Mauritius, China, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, South Africa, Botswana, Ethiopia, Egypt, the UK, and Kenya.
He is also a recipient of prestigious fellowships and grants from MASHAV (Israel), the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany), the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP/NUFFIC), and COMSTECH-TWAS. In 2022, he was awarded the International Fellowship to participate in the inaugural US-Africa Frontiers of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya.
Scholarship and Contributions
A prolific scholar, Professor Akinbile has over 100 publications to his credit. One of his articles won the Wiley Award for Top Cited Article 2020–2021 in Atmospheric Science Letters. With over 2,000 citations on Google Scholar, he was recognized with FUTA’s Vice Chancellor’s Award for Remarkable Achievement in 2012.
He delivered FUTA’s 135th Inaugural Lecture in September 2021, titled “The Wealth of Waste: From Water to Rice.” He holds two patents and has secured several national and international research grants, including TETFund’s Institution-Based Research (IBR) and the COMSTECH-TWAS Joint Research Grant.
Mentorship and Academic Leadership
Professor Akinbile has supervised 10 Ph.D., 17 Master’s, and over 90 undergraduate students. He has served as an external examiner and assessor for promotions in several universities within and outside Nigeria.
Within FUTA, he holds several roles, including Chairman of the Sports Council, member of the Appointments and Promotions Committee (A&PC), and the University Publications Committee. He is also a former Associate Director of the now-defunct Centre for Entrepreneurship and Gender Issues in Science and Technology (CEGIST).
At the national level, he serves on the TETFund National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC) and is the Secretary of the TETFund National Research Fair (TETFair) sub-committee.
He has served as an NUC-appointed member of accreditation panels and was a volunteer mentor in the Federal Government’s YouWin program (2010–2012) under President Goodluck Jonathan.
Global and Professional Engagements
Internationally, Professor Akinbile has served as a facilitator at the African Centre for Peace and Security Training (ACPST), a lead speaker at global symposia on climate and ecohydrology, and a youth scientist coordinator on climate adaptation.
He is a Fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), the Nigerian Science Leadership Programme (N-SLP), the African Technology and Policy Network (ATPS), and the African Academics Network (AAN). He is also a registered engineer with COREN and a member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).
He serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Pan African Society for Agricultural Engineering (PASAE) newsletter and the NIAE newsletter and sits on the national executive council of both organizations.
Personal Life
An ordained minister of the gospel, Professor Akinbile enjoys reading and watching football. He is married and blessed with children.
Significantly, Professor Akinbile is the first alumnus of FUTA to be elected as Dean of SIMME and the first elected Dean of the School.
