UNILORIN pro-chancellor seeks increased research funding for universities
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Ilorin, Surveyor Abiodun Jacob Aluko, has called on the Federal Government to increase funding for research in Nigerian universities, describing it as essential to national development.
Aluko made the call during the first day of the university’s convocation ceremony, where 11,213 graduands received their first degrees. He said adequate research funding would enable universities to develop innovations, address practical challenges and provide solutions to societal needs.
He added that sustained investment in research would improve the quality of university education, strengthen innovation and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy. Aluko also attributed UNILORIN’s improved international rankings to deliberate efforts to strengthen research output, academic visibility, citations and teaching and learning.
According to him, the university rose from 37th position in Nigeria in the previous year to fifth in the country in the 2026–2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings. He also said the institution ranked first in Nigeria and 18th in Africa in aquaculture in the 2026 SCImago Institutions Rankings.
The pro-chancellor noted that UNILORIN had grown from an institution established about five decades ago with 200 students and a handful of staff at a temporary site into one of Nigeria’s most sought-after universities, with more than 50,000 students. He also highlighted its uninterrupted academic calendar for more than two decades, describing the achievement as a significant milestone in the country’s university system.
Aluko commended the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole (SAN), his management team, the Senate, staff and students for their contributions to the university’s development. He cited improvements in academic stability, internally generated revenue, staff welfare, campus beautification and academic culture. He also acknowledged Federal Government interventions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, while maintaining that more research funding was needed to sustain progress.
The council chairman further commended the relative industrial harmony in the education sector, saying improved relations between the government and university-based unions had helped institutions maintain their academic calendars. He also praised Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for supporting the university, particularly through his hospitality to delegates attending the 37th Conference of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities. Congratulating the graduands, he urged them to uphold the institution’s values and represent it positively in their professions and communities.
In his address titled “Let this investment count!”, Egbewole congratulated the graduands on behalf of the Governing Council, Senate and Management and appreciated parents, guardians, staff and other stakeholders for their contributions. He urged the graduates to honour their families’ sacrifices, make good use of the knowledge and discipline acquired at the university, and justify the investment in their education by becoming solution providers and agents of positive change in society.
