Key Points
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The UNILORIN 40th convocation will include commissioning of major campus projects by President Tinubu.
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Convocation week features a key lecture by Babatunde Fashola and infrastructure unveilings.
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The event positions UNILORIN as a leader in campus development and higher-education relevance.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to visit the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) for its 40th convocation. He will unveil a group of newly finished campus projects and honour students who have done well in school. The event will last for a week, from October 17 to 26, 2025, and it is expected to show off the school’s past and its goals for the future.
Registrar Mansur Adeleke Alfanla said that the President will open several campus buildings and facilities worth hundreds of millions of naira at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 23. The ceremony will take place after the convocation assembly for people who are getting their five- or six-year degree or their master’s degree.
Big announcements mark a new era at UNILORIN
According to sources inside the organisation, the projects that will be funded include a new Faculty of Engineering building, a library annexe with digital capabilities, improved student housing blocks and a research centre focused on agriculture and climate resilience. Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole (SAN), the Vice-Chancellor of UNILORIN, said that the push for infrastructure was “a statement of intent, not just a commemoration.”
There is also a convocation lecture during the week given by Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), a former governor of Lagos State and minister of works and housing. The lecture is called “The Gen-Z Playbook: Navigating Work and the Real World.” The event shows how important it is for the university to connect what students learn in class to what they do in the real world.
The story of campus development and convocation
The focus keyphrase “UNILORIN 40th convocation” means more than just a graduation ceremony; it means a strategic push into research, infrastructure, and national importance. The Ilorin, Kwara State campus opened in 1975 and now serves tens of thousands of students. It is working to become a leader in innovation, education, and making a difference in the region. UNILORIN wants to show real progress by tying the high-profile presidential visit to the start of major projects.
According to a report by the Punch news, Prof. Egbewole told reporters that “the integration of infrastructure, academic achievement, and institutional reputation is key” to the university’s plan for the next few years. At the same time, Registrar Alfanla stressed that the week-long schedule, which starts with a Juma’at service on October 17 and ends with a Thanksgiving service on October 26, is a mix of tradition and celebration.
What this means for college and university education in Nigeria
For those who study higher education, the UNILORIN 40th convocation is an example of how Nigerian universities are trying to show that they are still important and able to do their jobs even though they have limited budgets and poor infrastructure. The university wants to raise its profile, get more partnerships, and improve its chances of getting money from outside sources by getting a president to visit and commissioning major assets.
But there is a bigger problem that needs to be solved: making sure that the new buildings are kept up, that staff stays on, and that the research results are worth the money spent. The leaders of UNILORIN know this. According to Prof. Egbewole, “projects don’t end with bricks and mortar—they must lead to student success, publications, and community innovation.”
In short, the 40th UNILORIN convocation is meant to be both a milestone and a starting point. The university is making a very public statement about the future of higher education in Nigeria by having President Tinubu there and showing off major infrastructure.
