The University of Benin (UNIBEN) is set to honour an impressive cohort of 14,083 students at its upcoming 51st Convocation and Founder's Day ceremony, with a remarkable 198 scholars achieving the prestigious First Class degree classification.
Academic Excellence on Display
Vice Chancellor Professor Edoba Omoregie revealed these outstanding results during a pre-convocation press briefing held in Benin on Monday. The detailed breakdown shows that 4,217 students earned Second Class Upper divisions, while 7,928 graduated with Second Class Lower honours. An additional 578 students received Third Class degrees.
Professor Omoregie emphasized that these impressive results demonstrate the serious commitment both staff and students have shown towards advancing the institution's academic standards. He stated that the university community remains dedicated to maintaining this positive momentum.
New Programmes and Accreditation Success
In significant developments for the institution's academic offerings, the Vice Chancellor announced that 15 new programmes approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) will commence in the 2025/2026 academic session. Furthermore, he confirmed that the Veterinary Medicine programme, which previously faced accreditation challenges before his administration, has now received full accreditation from the NUC.
"The wheel of progress is on course and moving steadily in the University of Benin," Professor Omoregie declared. "This administration is poised to deliver on its mandate of effective, practical teaching, sound learning, result-oriented research and impactful community service."
Government Support and Convocation Highlights
The Vice Chancellor expressed appreciation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's establishment of NELFUND, noting that this initiative has significantly reduced financial stress for students pursuing tertiary education. He encouraged both students and parents to take full advantage of this federal government programme.
For the upcoming ceremonies, Professor Omoregie disclosed that Nigeria's Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, will deliver the Founders' Day lecture on the topic "Reforms for a Shared Prosperity." Additionally, Professor Eghosa Osaghae, Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and former Vice Chancellor of Igbinedion University, will present the Convocation Lecture titled "Making Our Universities Great."
In related educational news, President Tinubu, represented by NUC Executive Secretary Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu at the University of Ibadan's 77th Foundation Day, called for sustainable funding models for Nigerian universities. He emphasized that the nation's development goals depend on tertiary institutions repositioning themselves as centres of innovation, knowledge creation, and national progress.
