By Taiwo Oguniyi, Ilorin | Oct. 20, 2025
The University of Ilorin (Unilorin) will graduate a total of 12,653 students during its 40th Convocation Ceremonies, which coincide with the institution’s Golden Jubilee marking 50 years of academic excellence.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), announced this on Monday during a pre-convocation press briefing held at the university’s main campus in Ilorin, Kwara State.
He described the convocation as a celebration of “decades of purposeful growth and institutional stability,” noting that Unilorin’s “Better by Far” identity continues to reflect its enduring values of excellence, innovation, and service to humanity.
Providing a breakdown of the graduating students, the Vice-Chancellor disclosed that 316 will graduate with First Class honours, 4,120 with Second Class Upper, 5,939 with Second Class Lower, 1,078 with Third Class, and 11 with Pass degrees.
He added that the graduating class also includes 175 MB;BS, 94 Nursing, 36 Veterinary Medicine, 64 Physiotherapy, and 13 Diploma awardees.
In the postgraduate category, 1,520 students will receive higher degrees — comprising 182 Postgraduate Diplomas, 916 Master’s, 188 Professional Master’s, and 234 PhDs.
Professor Egbewole also announced that former Lagos State Governor and immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), will deliver the Convocation Lecture titled “Gen-Z Playbook: Navigating Work and the Real World” on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
He further disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Visitor to the university, is expected to commission several completed projects on campus as part of the 50th anniversary celebration.
Highlighting the institution’s strides in the past academic year, the Vice-Chancellor revealed that Unilorin received over N7 billion in intervention funds from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to support infrastructure, academic staff development, and research.
He said the university also accessed N1.5 billion from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to support nearly 13,000 students, adding that the initiative has helped prevent students from dropping out due to financial hardship.
Egbewole further stated that 81 academic staff benefited from Senate Research Grants amounting to N177 million, while the university secured N220 million from the National Research Fund (NRF) for eight major research projects.
According to him, Unilorin’s research visibility continues to grow globally, with several of its scholars ranking among the most cited academics in Nigeria on Google Scholar.
“Through sustained research and innovation, our university is transforming knowledge into practical solutions,” he said, citing Unilorin’s ongoing projects in electric vehicle development, technology incubation, and eco-friendly material production.
The Vice-Chancellor also lauded the achievements of the university’s students, who have distinguished themselves in various national and international competitions. These include the Guinness World Record for the longest mathematics lesson, the Diana Award for youth leadership, and top honours in moot court and journalism competitions.
Egbewole reaffirmed the university’s commitment to maintaining its 100 per cent accreditation status from the National Universities Commission (NUC), adding that Unilorin recently launched 30 campus shuttle buses under a student-managed cashless transport system.
Looking ahead, he pledged that the university will continue to prioritise digital transformation, curriculum innovation, and staff development to ensure that its graduates remain globally competitive, locally impactful, and ethically grounded.
He, however, acknowledged persistent challenges such as inadequate funding and bureaucratic bottlenecks but assured that the university remains committed to sustaining its legacy of excellence.
“As we celebrate 50 years of academic distinction, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing leaders and driving research that transforms society. Transformation is not an event—it is a continuous process,” he said.
The week-long convocation activities will conclude with a Jumat service on Friday, October 24, and a thanksgiving service on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
