Unilorin Rises to 5th Position in Nigeria, Tops Aquaculture Ranking — Pro-Chancellor
Caption: Pro-Chancellor Surveyor Jacob Aluko, Vice-Chancellor Prof Wahab Egbewole and the Registrar Mansur Adeleke Alfanla at the convocation on Wednesday
By Felix Ajide
ILORIN — The University of Ilorin has risen from 37th to fifth position in Nigeria in the 2026–2027 U.S. News and World Report Best Global Universities Rankings, its Pro-Chancellor, Surveyor Jacob Aluko, has said.
Aluko disclosed this at the university’s 41st Convocation Ceremony on Wednesday in Ilorin, describing the improvement as evidence of the institution’s commitment to research, academic excellence and global visibility.
He also said the university ranked first in Nigeria and 18th in Africa for Aquaculture in the 2026 SCImago Institutions Rankings.
According to him, the achievements resulted from deliberate efforts to improve research output, academic visibility, citations and the quality of staff and students.
The Pro-Chancellor said the university recorded other remarkable achievements during the year, particularly in legal education, research, staff development and community engagement.
He described the emergence of Israel Adekunle Ajayi, a graduate of the university’s Faculty of Law, as the Overall Best Graduating Law Student in Nigeria at the 2026 Final Bar Examinations as a major milestone.
Aluko disclosed that 16 other graduates of the faculty also obtained First-Class Honours at the same examinations.
He described the feat as unprecedented and a testament to the quality of legal training and sustained culture of excellence at the university.
The Pro-Chancellor congratulated the successful graduates, their parents and the Faculty of Law for bringing honour to the institution.
He also celebrated the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, as a member of the Body of Benchers, describing it as a significant achievement for the university.
Aluko said several members of the university’s academic and non-academic staff had also been appointed Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Bursars and Provosts of other tertiary institutions since the last convocation.
He attributed the appointments to the university’s tradition of producing competent leaders, adding that its commitment to excellence and integrity had continued to attract recognition.
The Pro-Chancellor further disclosed that the university launched an endowment fund during its 50th Anniversary celebration for the construction of a world-class Innovation and Transcript Hub.
He explained that the proposed facility would combine a modern student technology innovation space with a highly automated transcript-processing centre.
Aluko commended the university’s alumni and other donors for supporting the initiative, urging more former students, both within Nigeria and in the Diaspora, to contribute to the institution’s development.
He said alumni could support the university through the construction of office blocks and laboratories, scholarship endowments and mentorship programmes.
“No contribution is too small,” he said, appealing to graduates to give back to the institution that contributed to their personal and professional development.
On government support for tertiary education, Aluko commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for interventions through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
He said the initiatives had supported infrastructure and research development while providing financial relief to thousands of students.
He also commended the Federal Government for staff welfare and housing loan schemes, as well as improved relations with university-based unions.
According to him, the relative industrial harmony in the nation’s tertiary institutions, with academic calendars remaining uninterrupted by strike action for almost two years, is a welcome development.
However, Aluko called for increased government funding for research in tertiary institutions, particularly research designed to address societal challenges and meet practical development needs.
“Research is the engine of development. No nation can develop beyond the level of research conducted in its universities,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to increase funding for problem-solving and demand-driven research to strengthen the contribution of universities to national development.
The Pro-Chancellor also commended Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara for his support and hospitality towards the university.
He specifically recalled the governor’s hosting of delegates to the 37th Conference of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities to a dinner, describing the gesture as a demonstration of his cordial relationship with the institution.
Congratulating the graduands, Aluko urged them to uphold the values of the university and serve as worthy ambassadors in their various fields of endeavour.
He expressed appreciation to guests and stakeholders for their support, reaffirming the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional development.
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