UNILORIN graduates 16,152 students, records 365 first-class honours
KEHINDE AKINPELU ILORIN
The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State, will graduate 16,152 students at its 41st convocation ceremony, with 365 of the graduands earning first-class honours in the 2025/2026 academic session.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing at the university auditorium, Ilorin, ahead of the institution’s convocation ceremonies scheduled to run until October 25, 2026.
According to him, the university will confer first degrees on 11,213 graduands, while 4,939 others will receive higher degrees and diplomas.
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Giving a breakdown of the first-degree results, Egbewole said 365 students earned first-class honours, 4,367 obtained second-class upper division, 5,102 graduated with second-class lower division, 1,006 obtained third-class degrees, while 30 graduated with pass degrees.
The graduating class also includes students from professional programmes, with 19 medical graduates, 89 nursing graduates, 73 pharmacy graduates, 41 optometry graduates, 89 physiotherapy graduates and 32 veterinary medicine graduates.
The Vice-Chancellor explained that the higher degrees and diplomas comprise 160 postgraduate diplomas, 901 master’s degrees across various faculties, 114 professional master’s degrees, two Master of Philosophy degrees and 251 Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
He added that 3,511 students would graduate through the university’s Centre for Affiliated Institutions.
Beyond conventional academic qualifications, the university also graduated 8,320 students under its U-INSPIRE programme, which equips participants with additional 21st-century skills through partnerships with 10 industry partners.
Egbewole said the initiative reflects the institution’s commitment to preparing graduates for the demands of the modern workplace and entrepreneurship.
He disclosed that Toyibah Abiodun Abdullateef, a student of the Department of Science Education and a member of the 2026 U-INSPIRE graduating cohort, designed the logo for the 41st convocation ceremonies.
The Vice-Chancellor described the graduating students as evidence of the university’s sustained commitment to academic excellence, professional training, research and innovation.
He also commended the institution’s academic and non-academic staff, parents, guardians, alumni, partners and other stakeholders for their contributions to the students’ academic achievements.
Highlighting major developments recorded during the 2025/2026 academic session, Egbewole said UNILORIN received a ₦25 million award from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) at the sixth National Tertiary Admissions Performance-Merit Award in recognition of its commitment to admission regulations.
He said the university also received a ₦1 billion intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for equipment upgrades in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
According to him, the institution secured full accreditation for 11 academic programmes following the National Universities Commission’s accreditation exercise in November 2025.
The university also emerged as the first Nigerian institution to win the 2025/2026 Responsible Futures Fee Waiver Grant awarded by the International Association of Universities, an initiative aimed at promoting sustainability within higher education institutions.
On transportation, Egbewole said the university had expanded its fleet of compressed natural gas-powered buses to 12, alongside 20 electric tricycles, to ease movement within the campus.
He further highlighted the institution’s growing research profile, industry partnerships and international collaborations, including discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on establishing a Centre of Excellence dedicated to practical engineering and technology-driven research.
The Vice-Chancellor also celebrated the achievements of UNILORIN graduates and students in professional and international competitions.
Among them was Israel Adekunle Adeniyi, a graduate of the Faculty of Law, who emerged as the 2026 best graduating student at the Nigerian Law School. Fifteen other graduates of the university also earned first-class honours in the Bar Final examinations released in April 2026.
The university also produced four new Senior Advocates of Nigeria: Adebisi Emmanuel Adeniyi, Adebayo Folorunsho Ologe, Akorede Habeeb Lawal and Mohammed Adelodun.
In another significant achievement, three undergraduates secured a combined ₦150 million under the Federal Government Students Venture Grant competition, with each receiving ₦50 million for their respective project proposals.
Egbewole said such accomplishments demonstrated the institution’s capacity to produce graduates capable of making meaningful contributions to national development and global scholarship.
He described the 41st convocation as an opportunity to assess the university’s progress over the past four years and strengthen the foundation for its future growth.
“The 41st Convocation is more than a celebration of academic accomplishments. It is also an opportunity to take stock of the progress made over the past four years, which has greatly impacted our society, and to pass the legacy to the next administration,” he said.
He added that the university’s achievements were reflected in strengthened institutional systems, improved facilities, growing research and innovation, expanded partnerships and the accomplishments of its graduates.
According to him, the institution’s long-term ambition remains anchored on its Vision 1:10:500 aspiration, which seeks to make UNILORIN Nigeria’s number-one university, place it among the top 10 universities in Africa and secure a position among the top 500 universities globally.
Egbewole called on stakeholders to sustain the spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility required to achieve the vision.
“No administration can complete the work of a university in a single tenure; our responsibility is to make a meaningful contribution, leave a stronger platform for those who follow, and preserve the stability and ambition that enable the institution to advance,” he said.
The convocation activities began with a special Jumat service on Friday, October 16, and an interdenominational church service on Sunday, October 18.
The university’s convocation lecture, titled “From Lecture Hall to Cabinet Room: The Journey from Academia to Public Leadership”, will be delivered by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, on Friday, October 23, at 9 a.m.
A command performance of the university’s opera production, “The Death of the Crown’s Escort”, is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, at the Performing and Film Arts Theatre, with performances at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
The award of degrees to graduands in four-year programmes will take place on Wednesday, October 21, and Thursday, October 22, while graduands in five- and six-year programmes will receive their degrees on Friday, October 23.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the university’s Visitor, is expected to commission completed projects on the campus on October 23 at 2:30 p.m. The day’s activities will conclude with a convocation luncheon and merit awards to deserving staff members.
The ceremonies will end with a thanksgiving church service at St Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy on Sunday, October 25.
Egbewole urged invited guests and other participants to comply with arrangements put in place by the university to ensure the smooth conduct of the events.
He also called on the media to report the institution’s achievements accurately, describing the university’s story as one of resilience, innovation, excellence and continuing progress.
DemocracyNewslineNewspaper October 19th, 2026
