The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) will this week graduate over 14,000 students as part of its 40th Convocation and 50th Anniversary celebrations, marking another milestone in the institution’s steady rise as one of Nigeria’s most stable and innovative universities.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), who announced this on Monday during the convocation press briefing, said the university would award degrees and diplomas to 14,682 students across various programmes for the 2024/2025 academic session.

He said: “We are proud to be graduating 316 First-Class students, 4,120 in Second Class Upper Division, 5,939 in Second Class Lower, 1,078 in Third Class and 11 with Pass degrees. In the professional category, we have 175 MB,BS, 94 Nursing, 36 Veterinary Medicine, 64 Physiotherapy and 13 Diploma graduands.”

Egbewole further disclosed that 1,520 higher degrees would be awarded, including 182 postgraduate diplomas, 916 master’s, 188 professional master’s, and 234 PhDs across various faculties.

He also revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Visitor to the University, would commission several completed projects on Thursday, October 23, 2025, as part of the convocation events.

These include the newly built Faculty of Social Sciences complex, the English Drama Studio, the remodelled Innovation Hub, and the Technical and Entrepreneurship Centre Road.

“The President’s presence underscores the federal government’s faith in our contribution to national development,” he said.

Highlighting recent achievements, the Vice Chancellor noted that the University received a N4 billion Special High Impact Project fund from TETFund for the upgrade of facilities at the College of Health Sciences, in addition to N750 million for hostel construction.

He also confirmed the disbursement of N1.59 billion in student loans from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to 12,983 students.

“These interventions have ensured that no student drops out because of financial hardship. It shows the government’s commitment to inclusive education,” Egbewole added.

On research and innovation, he announced that 81 academic staff received a total of N177 million in Senate Research Grants, while the University also secured N220.5 million from the National Research Fund for eight major projects.

“Our researchers are gaining international recognition. For instance, Dr Ismail Odetokun from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine leads our Google Scholar citation list with over 11,800 citations, while several others have crossed 6,000. This visibility shows the impact of Unilorin on the global research community,” he said.

Egbewole listed other milestones, including the unveiling of 30 campus shuttle buses managed under a student-led cashless system, the establishment of a Science, Technology, and Innovation Park to link the University with industries, and the creation of the U-INSPIRE entrepreneurship programme, which has already trained 9,929 students, with 7,290 graduating this year.

The Vice Chancellor also celebrated the University’s 100% success rate in the last NUC accreditation exercise and multiple international collaborations with universities in Kenya, South Africa, Malaysia, and the United States.

UNILORIN students, the VC said, also recorded national and global achievements, including Miss Faith Aduragbemi Olabisi, who became a Chartered Accountant at 18; Sanusi Akanbi Kazeem, who broke the Guinness World Record for the longest mathematics lesson; and Hannah Bolawatife Oladele, who won the national campus journalism award.

In sports, he added, three UNILORIN athletes represented Nigeria at the World University Games in Germany, while the institution’s staff athletes won six medals at the Nigeria University Staff Sports Association Games in Kano.

Reflecting on the university’s progress, Professor Egbewole said: “The ‘Better by Far’ slogan has evolved from a motto into a live reality of excellence, stability, and innovation. We are not just producing graduates, but problem solvers and leaders for Nigeria and beyond.”

He, however, acknowledged challenges such as funding constraints and the need for more infrastructural expansion, adding that his administration remains focused on deepening digital transformation, staff welfare, and inclusive access to education.

The VC called for sustained support from all stakeholders, saying: “As we celebrate 50 years of academic distinction, we are reminded that transformation is a continuous journey. With vision, courage, and collaboration, the University of Ilorin will remain a model of excellence for generations to come.”