The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has announced that the institution is set to convocate 2,747 students during its 36th convocation ceremony, with 240 of them earning first-class honours degrees.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, disclosed this during the convocation press briefing held on Friday at the campus. Oladiji said the figures reflect the institution’s commitment to academic excellence, research-driven teaching, and innovation.
Providing a breakdown of the figure, she disclosed that 1,479 students graduate with second class upper, while 912 and 116 students graduate with second class lower and third class, respectively.
She also revealed that apart from the 2,747 undergraduate students who will be awarded bachelor’s degrees, 867 will be awarded postgraduate degrees, with a breakdown of 627 for MTECH, 86 for PGD and 154 for PhD.
Oladiji stated that the awards for first degrees will be presented to students next week Friday, while the postgraduate awards will be given on Saturday. She noted that the valedictory speech will be delivered by Akindunbi Aduragbemi Isaac, from the Department of Civil Engineering, who was the overall best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.98/5.0.
Oladiji explained that the outstanding performance of the First Class graduates was a result of consistent effort, discipline, and the conducive learning environment provided by the university.
The results we are celebrating today show that FUTA continues to maintain its standard as one of Nigeria’s foremost universities of technology,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed FUTA’s determination to produce graduates who are not only employable but also capable of creating jobs through innovation and entrepreneurship.
She noted that the university had recently introduced new academic programmes such as Fintech, Procurement and Value Chain Technology, and Entrepreneurship Technology to meet modern industry demands.
Oladiji also highlighted the university’s commitment to research and development, stating that FUTA had continued to secure research grants and partnerships to enhance laboratory facilities and drive scientific breakthroughs.
She disclosed that the institution has not increased tuition fees in the last two years, despite facing funding challenges, noting that management has devised alternative revenue sources, including research collaborations, agricultural ventures, and consultancy services.
The Vice-Chancellor further revealed that over 3,000 FUTA students have benefited from the Federal Government’s student loan scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund
She, however, lamented the low level of awareness and participation among students, urging them to embrace the opportunity to ease their education funding.
She said, “The rate of, the level of awareness and the willingness to take on the loan is what I think has kept this number like this. We are trying to get students to be aware of it. So if the number is not huge, it’s not necessary because the government is failing; it is because many people are not applying.”
Commending the federal government for its continued support of tertiary institutions, the vice-chancellor stated that the university will continue to work towards producing world-class graduates equipped with knowledge, creativity, and character to transform the nation.
