University of Ilorin Pro-Chancellor Abiodun Aluko has praised the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, saying the programme has provided relief to thousands of students who might otherwise struggle to finance their education.
Aluko spoke at the university’s 41st convocation ceremony, where he also commended the continued intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund in infrastructure and research.
He said sustained research investment remained essential to improving university quality and strengthening Nigeria’s higher education system.
The pro-chancellor highlighted UNILORIN’s recent international rankings, attributing improvements to deliberate investment in research output, academic visibility, citations and teaching quality.
He said the university had grown from a small institution with about 200 students at inception to one of Nigeria’s largest and most sought-after universities, with more than 50,000 students.
Aluko also praised the institution’s long-running stable academic calendar and described the university as a training ground for leadership, noting that many members of staff had gone on to senior positions in other institutions.
Vice-Chancellor Wahab Egbewole also praised the student loan initiative and urged graduands to justify the investments made in their education.
The university said 16,152 students graduated in the 2025/2026 academic session, including 365 first-class degree recipients.
