President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to education as the cornerstone of national development, pledging sustained funding, reforms and innovation to prepare Nigerian youths for a technologically driven global economy.
The President gave the assurance at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) 35th and 36th Combined Convocation Ceremony and the institution’s 50th anniversary celebration, held at the Jeremiah Useni Stadium, Naraguta Campus, Jos on Saturday.
President Tinubu, represented by the Vice-Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Prof. Ibrahim Garba Hassan, congratulated the graduands and commended their resilience in navigating academic pursuits amid economic and social challenges
He urged graduands to deploy their knowledge and skills towards personal growth and national development.
“Education remains a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda. Our administration is determined to transform Nigeria’s education sector through increased funding, reforms and innovation”.
He disclosed that the Federal Government allocated ₦3.5 trillion to the education sector in the 2025 Budget, representing 7.3 per cent of the national budget, an increase from the previous year, adding that competing national priorities still limit allocations below international benchmarks.
Tinubu highlighted flagship interventions such as the Student Loan Scheme managed by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides interest-free loans covering tuition and living expenses, as well as renewed investments in technical and vocational education, mechanised farming programmes in universities, medical education grants, entrepreneurship training and digital skills development.
He also commended UNIJOS for emerging as one of ten universities selected to host a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity, noting that the initiative would strengthen research, innovation and skills development in response to emerging digital challenges.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairperson of Council, Senator Grace Folashade Bent, described the Golden Jubilee as a celebration of resilience, growth and unwavering commitment to academic excellence.
She traced the University’s evolution from a satellite campus of the University of Ibadan in 1971 to a full-fledged federal university in 1975, now boasting over 100 academic programmes, more than 40,000 students and growing international recognition.
Bent highlighted landmark achievements recorded during the jubilee year, including the successful hosting of the 27th Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA), the largest in the history of the competition, bringing together about 100 universities nationwide.
She also applauded the University’s alumni for their outstanding contributions, including tree-planting for environmental sustainability, donation of ICT equipment and pledges totalling ₦75 million towards infrastructure and student welfare, made during the Distinguished Alumni Lecture.
Reaffirming Council’s commitment, the Pro-Chancellor pledged to strengthen accountability, staff development, research and infrastructure, while pressing for the release of UNIJOS’ long-overdue Take-Off Grant, describing it as critical for the institution’s expansion and modernisation.
The historic ceremony saw the graduation of about 60,000 students, comprising 9,236 diploma holders, 37,741 first degree recipients and 13,023 postgraduate graduands, in what was described as one of the largest convocations in the history of Nigerian universities.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, in an emotionally charged address, led the gathering in observing a minute of silence for eight UNIJOS students who lost their lives in a tragic motor accident along Zaria Road, Jos, describing the loss as deeply painful to the University community.
Marking the Golden Jubilee, Ishaya said UNIJOS’ 50 years represented not just the passage of time, but decades of impact, innovation and national relevance.
He listed major achievements, including new faculties, research centres, sports complex, modern hostels, campus-wide fibre-optic connectivity, smart classrooms, renewable energy deployment and enhanced campus security.
He disclosed that the University introduced 18 new undergraduate programmes in areas such as Data Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Forensic Science, Radiography, Physiotherapy, Entrepreneurship and Social Work, aligning academic offerings with global trends and national needs.
According to him, UNIJOS currently runs 93 accredited programmes, maintains industrial harmony and ranks within the 1201–1500 global band of the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced the conferment of honorary degrees on Reverend Canon Sekcan Miner (Doctor of Letters) and Prof. Phyllis Kanki (Doctor of Science) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to humanity and national development.
New Telegraph reports that a total of 60,000 graduands were conferred with diplomas and degrees, comprising 9,236 diploma holders, 37,741 first degree recipients and 13,023 postgraduate graduands.
