The University of Jos (UniJos) has announced a series of significant achievements as it prepares for its 35th and 36th Combined Convocation Ceremonies, held alongside the institution’s 50th anniversary celebration.
During a press briefing in Jos, the State Capital, Vice-Chancellor Professor Ishaya Tanko described the events as a landmark moment in the university’s history, noting that UniJos is marking five decades of scholarly excellence and steady progress.
He also highlighted that December 1, 2025, marked his fourth year as the institution’s 10th substantive Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Tanko outlined the substantial transformation the university has undergone since its last convocation two years earlier, stressing that UniJos has continued to grow despite financial, security, and infrastructural challenges.
The Journey
Reflecting on the university’s journey, Professor Tanko recalled that UniJos began in 1972 as a campus of the University of Ibadan and became a fully established institution in 1975. From an initial four faculties, it has grown to 17 faculties and 93 academic programs.
“60,000 students will graduate during the combined ceremonies, comprising 9,236 diploma recipients, 37,741 first-degree graduates, and 13,023 postgraduate awardees — one of the largest cohorts in UniJos’s history. This is a defining moment because so many positive developments have taken place, with even more underway,” he said.
Anniversary Lecture
He disclosed that the ongoing Golden Jubilee programs, which began earlier in the year, will feature an Anniversary Lecture by Defence Minister Christopher Musa, and a Convocation Lecture by alumnus Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
Professor Tanko also highlighted several new programs approved over the past year, including Cyber Security Science, Data Science, Software Engineering, Forensic Science, Radiography, Physiotherapy, Public Administration, Social Work, Entrepreneurship, and various education-related programs.
He noted that Plateau State has been selected as one of six locations for the Federal Government’s Technology Centres of Excellence, with the UniJos center focusing on Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.
The hub is expected to produce skilled professionals and strengthen Nigeria’s emerging digital industries.
He further revealed that the university secured ₦4 billion through the TETFund Special High Impact Intervention to support medical education infrastructure, alongside another ₦4 billion from the French Development Agency’s ICT-DEV Project, bringing total recent funding to ₦8 billion.
“The Rural Electrification Agency supplied 430 solar streetlights, 100 of which are already operational, and selected UniJos as one of three beneficiaries of the Energizing Education Programme Phase VI, supported by the African Development Bank’s Desert to Power Initiative,” he stated.
The Vice-Chancellor also celebrated UniJos’s successful hosting of the 27th Nigerian University Games (NUGA), which recorded unprecedented participation.
Expressing appreciation to the Federal Government, Plateau State Government, donor organisations, staff unions, alumni, and development partners, Prof. Tanko reaffirmed the university’s commitment to building on the vision of its founders and creating lasting legacies for future administrations.
He concluded by inviting all stakeholders to join the festivities, support forthcoming projects, and collaborate in elevating UniJos to even greater heights as it commemorates 50 years of transformative service.
PIAK