Lagos State University ( LASU), Ojo, is set to graduate a total of 20,604 students at its 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, who disclosed this at a press conference ahead of the week-long activities lined up for the convocation said the graduands comprise students from diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across the two academic sessions.

According to her, the combined convocation became necessary to clear the backlog following adjustments to the university’s academic calendar.

For the 2024/2025 academic session, 947 students graduated from diploma programmes.The breakdown showed 65 with Distinction, 521 with Upper Credit, 354 with Lower Credit and seven with Pass.

A total of 7,621 students graduated from first degree programmes in the same session. Of this number, 262 obtained first class; 3,155 made second class upper, 3,439 had second class lower, while 622 graduated with third class and 37 with pass degrees.

Olatunji-Bello announced Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management as the Overall Best Graduating Student for the 2024/2025 session. He graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.96.

For the 2025/2026 academic session, 44 students graduated from diploma programmes, made up of 33 with upper credit and 11 with lower credit.In the first degree category, 8,653 students will graduate.

Of the number, 232 obtained first class, 3,545 made second class upper, 4,157 had second class lower, while 678 graduated with third class and 31 with Pass degrees.

Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student for the 2025/2026 session. He finished with a CGPA of 4.97.

The university will also confer higher degrees on 3,383 postgraduate students across the two sessions. The figure includes 618 postgraduate diplomas, 1,508 academic Masters degrees, 900 professional Masters degrees, 238 Doctor of Philosophy degrees and 119 professional Doctoral degrees.

As part of the convocation, LASU will confer honorary doctorate degrees on three prominent Nigerians.

They are Akin Kekere-Ekun, who will receive the Doctor of Business (Honoris Causa) for contributions to entrepreneurship, finance and management; Dr Harriet-Ann Omobola Adesola, for contributions to corporate finance and governance; and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for contributions to entrepreneurship, industrial and human capital development.

Two professors of the university, Rafiu Olaoluwa Okuneye and Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, will also be elevated to the rank of Distinguished Professors in recognition of their contributions to teaching, research, mentorship and the advancement of knowledge.

The vice-chancellor said the convocation activities will begin today with the staff sports competition and the first staff celebration day. On Friday, August 14, there will be coconut breaking and cultural day followed by the convocation jumat service.

Diplomas, first degrees, postgraduate diplomas and masters degrees in Engineering and Agricultural Sciences will be conferred at the Epe Campus on Monday, August 17.

The convocation lecture, titled: ‘From LASU to the world: Harnessing the Nigerian diaspora as the seventh region for national development,’ will be delivered by the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on August 18.

On Wednesday, August 19, the university will confer Professional and Academic Doctorate degrees as well as honorary doctorate degrees.