Over 12,000 students will graduate at the Yakubu Gowon University convocation, with top performers getting automatic jobs.
Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as the University of Abuja, is set to graduate a total of 12,624 students. This will happen during the institution's 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies.
The event runs from April 10 to April 18, 2026. For the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, this is a major milestone. It marks his very first convocation since taking office.
The graduating class is a mix of two academic sessions. A total of 7,158 students are from the 2022/2023 session. The remaining 5,466 students are from the 2023/2024 session.
Among these graduates, 77 students finished with First Class honours. As a special reward, the overall best graduating students from both sets will be given automatic jobs at the university.
The main graduation events will hold at the Convocation Square. First-degree students will receive their certificates on Friday, April 17, 2026. Higher degree students will have their turn on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
The university will also honour three distinguished Nigerians with honorary doctorate degrees. The recipients are Professor Yusuff Olaolu Ali, Mr Paul Odili, and Mr Emmanuel Ayuba Iza. They are being recognised for their great contributions to society.
The week-long event will feature more than just certificate collection. The school has lined up a faculty innovation showcase and a drug awareness lecture. There will also be a climate change discussion and a special lecture on artificial intelligence in fintech.
Professor Fawehinmi used the media briefing to highlight the steady growth of the institution. He noted that the student population currently stands at nearly 40,000. The target is to push this number to 50,000 by the year 2030.
The school is also recording major academic wins. It recently secured a N4 billion research fund for its College of Health Sciences. In addition, over 100 academic staff members have been promoted to professorial ranks. This is the highest number of professorial promotions in the university's history.
A student team from the school has also been selected to represent Nigeria at a global food systems event in Rome later this year.
Despite these gains, the vice-chancellor is speaking frankly about the hurdles ahead. He explained that the university needs massive infrastructure expansion to match its growing population. Plans are already underway to build 1,500 new student bed spaces through public-private partnerships.
Funding remains a tight constraint. The institution is also battling severe land encroachment. The vice-chancellor warned that illegal occupants are threatening planned faculty buildings and agricultural research zones.
On campus discipline, Professor Fawehinmi maintained a strict stance. He revealed that 28 students were expelled earlier this year for various offences. He made it clear that the university has zero tolerance for indiscipline.
Looking back at recent times, the vice-chancellor acknowledged the dark days of leadership crises that once rocked the school. Having three acting vice-chancellors in a short period, he noted, brought unnecessary tension and bad publicity.
Today, he insists that storm is over. The vice-chancellor expressed strong confidence in the future of the university. He thanked the government, the governing council, and the media for helping to restore peace to the campus.
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