By Mustapha Alhassan
A total of 111 students will be awarded first class degrees at the 34th Convocation Ceremony and 43rd Founder’s Day of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, slated for Sunday, February 1, 2026.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta disclosed during the convocation press briefing held on Monday, January 26, 2026 at the institution’s main campus, Gidan Kwano.
Giving a breakdown of the graduation statistics, Prof.Kuta added that 1,525 will have second class upper, 2,134 second class lower, while 631, and 37 will be bag the third class and pass degrees respectively. He explained that of the total of 5,297 graduating students for the 2024/2025 academic session, 4,438 will be conferred with first degrees, 73 with postgraduate diplomas, 633 masters degrees, while 153 will receive doctorate degrees (PhDs).
Prof. Kuta who reiterated his commitment to increasing the visibility of the FUT, Minna at the global academic arena, remarked that this year’s convocation is a celebration of resilience,academic excellence, innovation, and institutional progress.”It provides us an opportunity to reflect on our journey, showcase our achievements, and reaffirm our vision for the future,” he emphasised.
The Vice-Chancellor outlined key achievements of FUT, Minna within the period under review such as 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, where the University was ranked 7th best university in Nigeria, emerging as the highest-ranked specialised university in the country; its researchers securing the highest number of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) grant in the 2024 grant cycle; 58 high-impact Q1 publications and seven patents were produced by our researchers, in addition to securing a one billion naira TETFund Agricultural Commercial Farm Grant and being selected to participate in the TETFund Scholarship for Academic Staff Training in the North-Central zone.
He further highlighted that FUT, Minna attracted two major global research grants last year namely $3 million ICT development grant from Agence Francaise de Development and a £15,000 Open Access Books grant from the United Kingdom, just as he noted the laurels won its students at national and international competitions.
Announcing the commencement of academic activities at the newly established College of Medical Sciences and Health Technology, following approval by the National Universities Commission, the Vice-Chancellor expressed appreciation to the Abdulsamad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR) for donating a male medical students’ hostel, and the Niger State Government for supporting the construction of a dedicated female medical students’ hostel.
Kuta, a Professor of Medical Microbiology, also disclosed that the University has completed and commissioned a fully equipped Gross Anatomy Laboratory for the College of Medicine as well as a state-of-the-art Bioinformatics Laboratory at the Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxins and Food Safety (ACEMFS), one of only three such facilities in Nigerian universities, in addition to ongoing construction of a 30- Professorial Complex to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. He added that, to enhance campus infrastructure major renovations were done at the University Clinic, Indoor Sports Complex and the University Guest House.
In furtherance of its commitment to quality assurance, FUT, Minna voluntarily underwent an international assessment by the UK Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in November 2025, the Vice-Chancellor further announced.He said the Convocation Ceremony on Sunday, February 1, coincides with the University’s 43rd Founders Day, a moment to honour the visionaries who laid its foundation.
Prof. Kuta assured that FUT, Minna will continue to reinforce its commitment to strong partnerships with government, industry, and its host communities, recognizing that institutional growth is inseparable from community development. He called on the general public and the media to actively participate in the activities, assuring that the institution remains open to partnerships that will translate research outputs into commercial ventures and create employment opportunities for our youths.
The Vice-Chancellor assured that the University remains steadfast in its commitment to academic excellence, innovation, integrity, and community service.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and Chairman, University Ceremonies Committee, Prof. Uno Essang Uno praised the Vice-Chancellor for his focused leadership. He urged the media to remain partners in progress with the University.Correspondents from various media organisations in the country attended the press briefing.
Photo Credit Elijah Yisa
