Lokoja university lands N3bn TETFund grant for AI, robotics
Lokoja university lands N3bn TETFund grant for AI, robotics
Federal University Lokoja (FUL) has secured a N3bn Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) grant to establish a Centre of Excellence
Federal University Lokoja (FUL) has secured a N3bn Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) grant to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Sciences.
Vice-Chancellor Gbenga Solomon Ibileye disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing to herald the university’s 10th Convocation scheduled for Saturday. He added that the proposed centre would provide a platform for cutting-edge research, collaboration and capacity building in emerging technologies.
Ibileye, who took over the leadership of the institution in February, pointed out that the intervention was among the major milestones recorded by his administration in its effort to reposition the institution as a leading centre for research, innovation and technological development. He also disclosed that the university had submitted more than 50 research grant proposals to national and international funding agencies since the appointment of its first Grants Officer, Grace Korter.
Academic Expansion and New Programmes
”FUL has also recorded significant progress in academic development, with eight programmes securing full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC), while 10 others are undergoing accreditation.”
He said 14 new programmes, including artificial intelligence, cyber security, data science, software engineering, psychology, social work, and criminology and security studies, commenced with pioneer students in the 2026-27 academic session.
”Expansion must never outpace quality. Growth must be matched by the resources, systems and capabilities required to sustain it.”
Convocation Statistics and Honorary Degrees
The Vice-Chancellor announced that 5,638 students would graduate at the 10th Convocation. He said the figure comprised 4,828 first-degree graduands, 182 diploma recipients and 628 postgraduate graduands.
Three prominent Nigerians—Dahiru Mangal, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo and veteran journalist Babajide Kolade-Otitoju—will receive honorary degrees at the ceremony. The convocation will also witness the graduation of எண்ணெய் pioneer class of the Centre for Safety Management, comprising 22 master’s degree and 11 postgraduate diploma candidates.
Infrastructure and Digital Transformation
He noted that the university had deployed 10 Starlink terminals to improve internet connectivity and had commenced implementation of a new Learning Management System for digital and blended learning, adding that all 100-level courses had been uploaded on the platform. He pointed out that the university was also pursuing a N3bn public-private partnership hostel project, while it had accessed several TETFund interventions, including N335m for NEEDS assessment, N700m and N400m for laboratory and classroom development, and N300m zonal intervention.
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He said construction of the General Science Laboratory Building at the Felele Campus, supported by BUA Group, had reached the roofing stage. Construction of a pedestrian flyover at the university’s main gate has also commenced following the completion of geotechnical investigations.
Staff Welfare and International Partnerships
Speaking on staff development, Ibileye said 21 academic staff had benefited from the TETFund Academic Staff Training and Development Scheme, with N158.9m approved for their programmes. He added that 190 of 200 applications for TETFund conference sponsorship were approved, while all 109 applications from non-academic staff were successful.
The university also introduced a N50m vehicle refurbishment loan scheme for staff and acquired buses and electric tricycles to improve campus transportation. Also on student welfare, the Vice-Chancellor said NELFUND disbursements of about N188m and N199m benefited 1,631 and 1,665 students, respectively.
He disclosed that the university’s “Vice-Chancellor for a Day” initiative, implemented as part of efforts to expose students to leadership and institutional decision-making, has come to stay. He added that FUL had secured access to the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme and was strengthening partnerships with universities in Egypt, South Africa and Canada. He stressed that the institution had also renewed its partnership with Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nigeria-Korea Friendship Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology in Lokoja.
He acknowledged that challenges remained, particularly in accommodation, roads, infrastructure, utilities and funding, but assured that the administration would continue to pursue strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation to address the gaps.
The 10th Convocation, with the theme “Fifteen Years, Ten Convocations: Consolidating Excellence, Building Partnerships and Shaping the Future,” will hold at the university’s Main Campus, Felele, Lokoja. He added that the ceremony would be streamed online to enable families, graduands and international students unable to attend in person to participate.
