Two hundred and forty (240) out of 2,747 graduating students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) have bagged a first-class in the 36th convocation ceremony of the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adenike Temidayo Oladiji, who disclosed this during the convocation press briefing held on Friday at the campus, said the figures reflect the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, research-driven teaching, and innovation.
Giving the breakdown of the figure, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that 1,479 graduates bagged second class upper, while 912 and 116 graduated with second class lower and third class, respectively.
She also revealed that, apart from the 2,747 undergraduate students who would be awarded Bachelor’s degrees, 867 would be awarded Postgraduate degrees, with a breakdown of 627 for MTECH, 86 for PGD, and 154 for PhD.
However, she said there would not be an honorary doctoral degree for deserving individuals in the 2025 edition of the convocation ceremony.
Oladiji said the first-degree awards will be presented to students next Friday, while the postgraduate awards will be presented on Saturday. She noted that the valedictory speech will be given by Akindunbi Aduragbemi Isaac, from the Department of Civil Engineering, who was the overall best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average, CPGA of 4.98\5.0.
Also, she said a former Minister of Defence, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode SAN, would deliver the convocation lecture of the university.
Oladiji explained that the outstanding performance of the First Class graduates was a result of consistent effort, discipline, and the conducive learning environment provided by the university.
“The results we are celebrating today show that FUTA continues to maintain its standard as one of Nigeria’s foremost universities of technology,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed FUTA’s determination to produce graduates who are not only employable but also capable of creating jobs through innovation and entrepreneurship.
She noted that the university had recently introduced new academic programmes such as Fintech, Procurement and Value Chain Technology, and Entrepreneurship Technology to meet modern industry demands.
Oladiji also highlighted the university’s commitment to research and development, saying FUTA had continued to secure research grants and partnerships to boost laboratory facilities and scientific breakthroughs.
She disclosed that the institution has not increased tuition fees in the last two years despite funding challenges, noting that the management has devised alternative revenue sources, including research collaborations, agricultural ventures, and consultancy services.
The Vice-Chancellor further revealed that over 3,000 FUTA students have benefited from the Federal Government’s student loan scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing it as a major relief for undergraduates facing financial difficulties.
She, however, lamented the low level of awareness and participation among students, urging them to embrace the opportunity to ease their education funding.
She said, “As we speak, we have over 3,000 students benefiting from the loan scheme, and the president of the student union can also confirm the figure. So they have opened the portal again, and we are encouraging students to apply.
”The rate of, the level of awareness and the willingness to take on the loan is what I think has kept this number like this. We are trying to get students to be aware of it. So if the number is not huge, it’s not necessary because the government is failing. It is because many people are not applying.”
Commending the federal government for its continued support of tertiary institutions, the Vice-Chancellor said the university will keep working to produce world-class graduates equipped with knowledge, creativity, and character to transform the nation.
