The Federal University Lokoja (FUL) is set to graduate 5,638 students at its 10th convocation ceremony. The graduating students comprise 4,828 first-degree recipients, 182 diploma holders, and 628 postgraduate graduands. Of the first-degree graduands, 4,786 will receive honours degrees, while the remaining candidates will be awarded other first-degree qualifications. The convocation ceremony will also highlight the institution's academic achievements and strategic initiatives.
The Faculty of Life Sciences will produce the largest graduating class with 1,024 students, followed by the Faculty of Education with 806 and the Faculty of Arts with 773. At the postgraduate level, the university will award 46 Postgraduate Diplomas, 162 Professional Master's degrees, 238 Academic Master's degrees, and 182 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. The university's vice-chancellor, Professor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye, disclosed this during the university's 10th convocation press briefing.
FUL is advancing a N3 billion Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project for the development of a model hostel to address its accommodation deficit. The proposed project has reached an advanced stage of regulatory approval, and the vice-chancellor expressed optimism that implementation will commence soon. The project will also incorporate conference facilities and serve as a sustainable source of internally generated revenue (IGR) for the university.
The university has successfully accessed several intervention funds to improve its infrastructure. These include its TETFund Annual Intervention allocation, ₦335 million NEEDS Assessment Intervention, special interventions of ₦700 million and ₦400 million for laboratory and classroom development, as well as a ₦300 million zonal intervention for infrastructure projects. The funds have been channelled towards priority projects aimed at improving the teaching and learning environment.
One of the institution's major ongoing projects is the General Science Laboratory Building being constructed with the support of BUA Group at the Felele Campus. The facility has already been roofed and, upon completion, will expand laboratory capacity and enhance practical teaching and learning in the sciences. Following a review of the original intervention programme, only six universities nationwide retained their projects, with Federal University Lokoja among the selected beneficiaries.
The university has also renovated lavatories, rehabilitated boreholes, improved water supply systems, procured 200 sets of classroom furniture, and upgraded its Multipurpose Hall as part of efforts to improve existing infrastructure. Additionally, the university has commenced construction of a pedestrian flyover at its main gate following the completion of geotechnical and soil investigations.
The vice-chancellor described the pedestrian flyover project as a critical safety intervention in view of the heavy vehicular traffic along the Lokoja-Okene Road corridor. The project aims to enhance the safety of students and staff. With these developments, FUL is strengthening its capacity to fulfil its academic mandate and improve the overall learning environment.
Key points
- FUL to graduate 5,638 students at its 10th convocation ceremony
- University launches N3 billion hostel project to address accommodation deficit
- Institution accesses intervention funds to improve infrastructure and learning environment
