By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
The Federal University Lokoja (FUL) is set to graduate 5,638 students at its 10th convocation ceremony, while securing a N3 billion Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) grant to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Sciences.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, disclosed this on Monday during a pre-convocation press briefing at the university’s Felele Campus in Lokoja.
He described the grant as a major milestone in the institution’s efforts to strengthen research, innovation and technological development as it marks 15 years of academic growth.
According to him, the Class of 2026 comprises 4,828 first-degree graduates, 182 diploma recipients and 628 postgraduate graduands.
Of the first-degree graduands, 24 earned First Class degrees, 881 obtained Second Class Upper, 2,928 secured Second Class Lower, while 953 graduated with Third Class degrees.
The university will also confer honorary degrees on three distinguished Nigerians: Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, Chief Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo and Mr Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, in recognition of their contributions to commerce, industry, journalism and humanity.
Ibileye, a professor of Discourse Analysis and Pragmatics, disclosed that eight academic programmes had secured full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC), while 10 others were undergoing accreditation.
He said the university had also received approval to introduce 14 new programmes, including Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Data Science, Software Engineering, Psychology, and Criminology and Security Studies.
In the College of Health Sciences, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted the induction of the institution’s pioneer medical students into clinical training.
He added that medical and nursing students had commenced clinical postings at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.
The university’s maiden graduating class from its Centre for Safety Management comprises 33 candidates, including five international students.
On postgraduate education, Ibileye said the university’s partnership with the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies had admitted 66 candidates into its fourth doctoral cohort.
He explained that enrolment across six doctoral programmes had reached approximately 400 since 2023.
He also disclosed that postgraduate scholars from Ethiopia, Zambia, Cameroon and Ghana had been attracted through a European Union co-funded scholarship scheme.
To strengthen digital education, the university has deployed a Learning Management System, with all 100-level courses for the 2026/2027 academic session already uploaded.
The Directorate of Academic Planning is also undergoing automation to improve administrative efficiency and institutional coordination.
On research, Ibileye said the appointment of the university’s first Grants Officer had facilitated the submission of more than 50 research proposals to national and international funding agencies.
He disclosed that eight professors had delivered inaugural lectures since February, bringing the university’s total to 47.
Professor Ezra Shiloba Gbaje also received a N30 million TETFund Research Award.
The Vice-Chancellor further announced the introduction of frameworks for Endowed Professorial Chairs and Professors of Practice to attract experienced professionals from industry and the public sector into teaching, research and mentorship.
He said the university had also signed two Memoranda of Understanding with Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, to provide qualification-upgrade opportunities for eligible graduates and facilitate academic affiliation in selected degree programmes.
In another development, 615 graduates were inducted into the teaching profession by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
Ibileye said his administration’s development agenda was guided by the university’s Vision Plan 2026–2031, which focuses on governance, academic excellence, research, infrastructure, innovation, partnerships and the welfare of staff and students.
The 10th convocation ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2026, under the theme, “Fifteen Years, Ten Convocations: Consolidating Excellence, Building Partnerships and Shaping the Future.”
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, will deliver the convocation lecture titled, “Nigeria and the Emerging Global Order: Preparing the New Generation for Leadership.”