The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) 41st Convocation Ceremony will see 16,152 graduands receive degrees and other academic qualifications for the 2025/2026 academic session, including 365 students who earned first-class honours.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), disclosed the figures on Monday during a press briefing ahead of the convocation ceremony, scheduled to hold from Wednesday, October 21, to Friday, October 23, 2026.
According to Egbewole, the graduating students include undergraduates, postgraduate students and graduands from affiliated institutions, reflecting the university’s continued commitment to academic excellence and professional development.
UNILORIN 41st Convocation: Breakdown of Graduating Students
The Vice-Chancellor revealed that 11,213 students would receive first degrees at the UNILORIN 41st Convocation Ceremony.
The undergraduate graduating class comprises 365 first-class honours graduates, 4,367 second-class upper division graduates, 5,102 second-class lower division graduates, 1,006 third-class graduates and 30 pass-degree recipients.
The university will also graduate students from various professional programmes, including 19 in Medicine and Surgery, 89 in Nursing, 73 in Pharmacy, 41 in Optometry, 89 in Physiotherapy and 32 in Veterinary Medicine.
Egbewole further disclosed that 4,939 graduands would receive higher degrees and diplomas.
The postgraduate category comprises 160 postgraduate diploma recipients, 901 master’s degree graduates, 114 professional master’s degree recipients, two Master of Philosophy graduates and 251 doctorate degree recipients.
Another 3,511 students will graduate through the university’s Centre for Affiliated Institutions.
Beyond the award of academic qualifications, the University of Ilorin recorded another milestone through its U-INSPIRE initiative, which equips students with relevant 21st-century skills alongside their primary qualifications.
Egbewole said 8,320 students had completed the programme, which operates in partnership with 10 industry partners.
He described the achievement as part of the university’s broader efforts to prepare graduates for the demands of the modern workplace and contribute to national and global development.
Reflecting on his administration, Egbewole said the 41st convocation provided an opportunity to assess the university’s progress since he assumed office on October 16, 2022, and consider the institutional legacy being prepared for the next vice-chancellor.
He recalled that his first convocation ceremony as vice-chancellor covered the university’s 37th and 38th convocations.
“When I assumed office as Vice-Chancellor on 16 October 2022, my first convocation ceremony was for both the 37th and 38th. I came into office with a clear commitment: to build on the strong foundations laid by my predecessors, preserve the University’s defining strengths, and move the institution forward with renewed ambition,” he said.
The vice-chancellor expressed gratitude for the progress recorded during his administration, describing the period as one of steady development and increased institutional capacity.
“Four years on, as we prepare for the 41st Convocation, I do so with gratitude to Almighty Allah and a deep sense of fulfilment. This is not simply a review of activities; it is an account of steady, substantial progress and of the institutional capacity, opportunities, and responsibilities we will bequeath to the next Vice-Chancellor, as a legacy,” he added.
According to him, the university has sustained its reputation for stability, academic excellence and peaceful coexistence while improving digital infrastructure, staff and student welfare, research, teaching and learning, campus facilities and external partnerships.
UNILORIN Targets Top 10 African Universities
Egbewole said the institution’s development strategy remained anchored on its Vision 1:10:500 ambition.
The initiative seeks to position the University of Ilorin as Nigeria’s number one university, among Africa’s top 10 universities and within the world’s top 500 institutions.
He described the 41st convocation as both a celebration of academic achievements and an opportunity to recognise the contributions of staff, students, partners and other stakeholders to the university’s development.
“The 41st Convocation is therefore both a celebration and a moment of reflection. It gives us an opportunity to recognise what we have accomplished, acknowledge the people whose work made it possible, and identify the foundations on which we can build the next phase of progress,” Egbewole said.
UNILORIN 41st Convocation Lecture to Hold on October 23
As part of activities marking the UNILORIN 41st Convocation Ceremony, the university will host a convocation lecture titled From Lecture Hall to Cabinet Room: The Journey from Academia to Public Leadership.
The lecture will be delivered by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 9 a.m.
The university will also stage its convocation opera, The Death of the Crown’s Escort, at the Performing and Film Arts Theatre on Tuesday, October 20, with performances scheduled for 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
According to Egbewole, graduands from four-year programmes will receive their degrees on Wednesday, October 21, and Thursday, October 22, while graduates of five-year and six-year programmes will be presented with their degrees on Friday, October 23.
Tinubu Expected to Commission UNILORIN Projects
President Bola Tinubu, the Visitor to the University of Ilorin, is expected to commission completed projects on the campus at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, October 23.
The day’s activities will also include a convocation luncheon and merit awards for deserving members of staff at the university’s Multipurpose Hall at 4:30 p.m.
The convocation activities began with a special Jumat service on Friday, October 16, followed by an interdenominational church service on Sunday, October 18.
The programme will conclude with a thanksgiving service at St Thomas Aquinas Chaplaincy on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
With 16,152 graduands set to receive their qualifications, including 365 first-class graduates, the UNILORIN 41st Convocation Ceremony marks a significant milestone for the university as it continues to pursue its ambitions in academic excellence, research, innovation and global recognition.
Be the first to comment