Tinubu Tasks Academia on Solution-Driven Research at FUTA Convocation
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerian academics to intensify research efforts that directly address the nation’s pressing socio-economic challenges.
Delivering the President’s message at the 36th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), on Saturday, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, said the administration expects universities to produce research outputs capable of driving national development.
Tinubu described FUTA as a reservoir of high-calibre scholars and innovators, urging the institution to sustain the trust vested in it by government and the public. He emphasised the need for universities to strengthen ties with industry and reduce excessive dependence on government subventions.
“The time has come for stakeholders to revisit the old model of absolute reliance on government funding and to reorganise the educational system for sustainable financing,” the President noted. He added that funding higher education globally has become a shared responsibility, requiring stronger partnerships and more impactful research that industries can deploy.
Tinubu further charged the graduating students to apply their knowledge in entrepreneurship, agriculture and ICT to create opportunities for themselves and others.
In her address, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, announced that 1,030 candidates completed postgraduate programmes during the academic year. These include 91 Postgraduate Diploma holders, 647 Master’s degree recipients, 169 PhD graduates and 123 from the School of Professional Development. She highlighted that FUTA is graduating its first set of PhDs in Renewable Energy Technology.
Oladiji disclosed that all programmes presented to the NUC secured full accreditation, while the institution’s researchers continued to gain international recognition. Three research groups won separate international grants totalling £136,511 in the last academic session.
The Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Nora Daduut, commended President Tinubu for reforms aimed at repositioning the country, noting that harmonious relations among the governing council, management and students had fostered an enabling environment for academic excellence. She added that staff welfare and infrastructural development have remained central to the council’s achievements.
