President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigeria’s higher education unions to join hands with the government in building a sustainable model for funding the sector, one that balances domestic priorities with international standards.
The president delivered the message through the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof Abdullahi Ribadu, at the University of Ibadan’s 77th Foundation Day and 2025 Convocation on Monday.
Tinubu acknowledged longstanding advocacy by university unions for increased public investment in higher education but said solutions would require shared responsibility.
“We have worked to reduce avoidable crises linked to past unfulfilled agreements with unions,” he said. “This administration places a strong emphasis on quality education and is fully committed to providing young Nigerians with the skills for the future.”
He praised academic unions, particularly ASUU, for what he described as their constructive engagement in addressing systemic challenges.
According to the president, it would be impractical to divert all national resources to education, yet the government had continued to expand innovative financing channels, especially through TETFund and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Tinubu challenged universities to examine their relevance to global and national advancement. “A university that fails to contribute meaningfully to development falls short of its purpose,” he said, urging institutions to reassess how well they empower students to drive positive societal change.
He congratulated the graduating students and encouraged them to embrace excellence and adaptability in a rapidly evolving world.
Chancellor Sa’ad Abubakar highlighted the strain of insufficient funding, expressing optimism that Nigeria’s economic outlook would improve enough to support government reforms.
Pro-Chancellor Bisi Akande criticised excessive bureaucracy and centralisation, which he said undermined effective governance in universities. He recommended a review of existing university laws to align them with international best practices.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Kayode Adebowale, who marked his final convocation in office, recorded the institution’s progress and ongoing challenges, particularly in energy supply and campus security.
He announced that 487 doctoral candidates had been awarded PhDs, with Education and Arts emerging as the highest contributors. He also revealed the approval of new faculties of Nursing and Computing, and the establishment of a Department of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering.
New programmes—including Social Work, Educational Technology, Computer Science Education and Biomedical Engineering—will commence in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Business leader Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and former First Bank chief executive Dr Adesola Adeduntan received honorary doctorates.
