From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), has announced that a total of 12,653 students will graduate during its 40th Convocation ceremonies, coinciding with the institution’s 50th anniversary celebration.
Speaking during a press briefing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wahab Egbewole (SAN), said the ceremony reflects the university’s long-standing culture of excellence, innovation, and service to humanity.
According to him, the graduating class for the 2024/2025 academic session includes 316 First Class graduates, 4,120 Second Class Upper, 5,939 Second Class Lower, 1,078 Third Class, and 11 Pass degrees. The list also includes 175 MB;BS graduates, 94 Nursing graduates, 36 from Veterinary Medicine, 64 in 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.
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Professor Egbewole described the convocation as a “celebration of decades of purposeful growth,” adding that “the ‘Better by Far’ identity of this university is not just a slogan—it is a lived reality built on excellence, stability, and innovation.”
He announced that former Lagos State Governor and ex-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. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the Visitor to the university, is expected to commission newly completed projects on campus during the ceremonies.
Highlighting the university’s achievements in the past year, Professor Egbewole revealed that Unilorin received over N7 billion in intervention funds from TETFund to support infrastructure, academic staff training, and research. The institution also secured over N1.5 billion from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to assist nearly 13,000 students, ensuring that “no student drops out due to financial constraints.”
The Vice-Chancellor also announced that 81 academic staff received Senate Research Grants worth N177 million, while the university won an additional N220 million National Research Fund for eight major research projects. Unilorin’s research visibility continues to grow globally, with some of its lecturers ranking among the most cited scholars in Nigeria on Google Scholar.
“Through sustained research and innovation, our university is transforming knowledge into practical solutions,” Egbewole said, citing the institution’s work on electric vehicle development, technology incubation, and eco-friendly materials as examples.
He also commended the university’s students for excelling nationally and internationally, noting recent awards such as the Guinness World Record for the longest mathematics lesson, the Diana Award for outstanding youth leadership, and top honours in national moot court and journalism competitions.
Unilorin also maintained its 100% accreditation status in courses assessed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and recently launched 30 campus shuttle buses under a student-managed cashless transport system.
Looking ahead, the Vice-Chancellor promised continued reforms in digital transformation, curriculum innovation, and staff development, stressing that “our focus remains to produce graduates who are globally competitive, locally relevant, and morally grounded.”
He acknowledged ongoing challenges, including limited funding and bureaucratic bottlenecks, but assured stakeholders that the university was determined to sustain its legacy of excellence.
“As we celebrate 50 years of academic distinction, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing leaders and driving research that impacts society. Transformation is not an event—it is a continuous process,” Egbewole said.
He called on alumni, staff, and friends of the university to join in building “a stronger, more relevant, and resilient University of Ilorin for the next generation.”
The 40th Convocation ceremonies will conclude with a Jumat service on Friday, October 24, and a thanksgiving service on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
