The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State, will graduate 16,152 students at its 41st convocation ceremony, including 365 first-class degree holders, for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing at the university auditorium in Ilorin. He said the convocation activities would run until October 25, 2026, adding that 11,213 students would receive first degrees, while 4,939 others would be awarded higher degrees and diplomas.
Giving a breakdown of the first-degree results, Egbewole said 365 graduands earned first-class honours, 4,367 obtained second-class upper division, 5,102 graduated with second-class lower division, 1,006 earned third-class degrees, while 30 graduated with pass degrees. The graduating class also includes 19 medical graduates, 89 nursing graduates, 73 pharmacy graduates, 41 optometry graduates, 89 physiotherapy graduates and 32 veterinary medicine graduates.
He 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, describing the institution’s training programmes as part of its efforts to prepare graduates for employment and entrepreneurship.
Highlighting the university’s achievements during the 2025/2026 academic session, Egbewole said UNILORIN received a ₦25 million award from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in recognition of its compliance with admission regulations. He also announced a ₦1 billion intervention from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund for equipment upgrades in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, as well as full accreditation for 11 academic programmes following the National Universities Commission’s November 2025 exercise.
The vice-chancellor further highlighted the university’s sustainability initiatives, including its emergence as the first Nigerian institution to win the 2025/2026 Responsible Futures Fee Waiver Grant from the International Association of Universities. He said the institution had expanded its transport fleet to 12 compressed natural gas-powered buses and 20 electric tricycles to improve movement on campus. He also disclosed that the university was discussing a proposed Centre of Excellence with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to promote practical engineering and technology-driven research.
Egbewole also celebrated the achievements of the university’s graduates and students in professional and entrepreneurial competitions. He cited Israel Adekunle Adeniyi, a Faculty of Law graduate who emerged as the Nigerian Law School’s best graduating student in 2026, noting that 15 other UNILORIN graduates earned first-class honours in the Bar Final examinations released in April. He also named four new Senior Advocates of Nigeria produced by the institution: Adebisi Emmanuel Adeniyi, Adebayo Folorunsho Ologe, Akorede Habeeb Lawal and Mohammed Adelodun. In addition, three undergraduates secured a combined ₦150 million through the Federal Government Students Venture Grant competition, receiving ₦50 million each for their project proposals.
The vice-chancellor described the convocation as an opportunity to assess the university’s progress over the past four years and strengthen its foundation for future growth. He reaffirmed the institution’s Vision 1:10:500 aspiration to become Nigeria’s number-one university, rank among Africa’s top 10 universities and secure a place among the world’s top 500. He commended staff, parents, guardians, alumni, partners and other stakeholders for their contributions, urging them to sustain their support while calling on the media to report the university’s achievements accurately.
