President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that sustainable national development is impossible without deliberate and continuous investment in young people, stressing that financial constraints should never be a barrier to quality education for Nigerians.
The President made this known on Sunday at the 34th Convocation and 43rd Founders Day ceremony of the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, where he was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id-Ahmad.
Tinubu highlighted FUT Minna’s contributions over the past 43 years, describing the institution as a leading centre for science, engineering innovation and applied research. He added that his administration has expanded access to education through targeted infrastructure development and the implementation of a student loan scheme.
Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Farouk Kuta, said the ceremony reflected the resilience and dedication of the university community to knowledge advancement and service to humanity.
Kuta disclosed that FUT Minna recorded remarkable progress in the past year, emerging as the seventh best university in Nigeria and the highest-ranked specialised institution. He added that the university also placed among Nigeria’s top 10 and ranked 68th in Africa.
According to him, the strategic expansion of academic programmes aligns with the institution’s mandate as a technology-driven university focused on solving societal challenges, particularly in the training of healthcare professionals and medical technologists.
The Vice-Chancellor further noted that staff welfare remained a priority, with 146 senior non-teaching staff and 110 junior staff promoted, while 22 appointments were confirmed. He added that the university renovated its clinic and sports complex to improve the learning environment.
Kuta urged graduating students to embrace their new roles as alumni and solution providers to national challenges.
Also speaking, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Mohammed Santuraki, commended President Tinubu’s reforms, describing them as steps toward steady national progress. He thanked Niger State Governor Umar Bago for donating N100 million for the construction of a female hostel for medical students and praised the Vice-Chancellor for prudent resource management.
Santuraki encouraged graduates to serve as worthy ambassadors of the institution.
The overall best graduating student, Koter Oluwadamilola of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, described the milestone as a product of perseverance, faith and unity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total of 5,297 students graduated from FUT Minna during the 2024/2025 academic session.
