By Sunday Adah
The Vice-Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, presented a landmark two-year scorecard of unprecedented achievements at the institution’s 8th Combined Convocation and Silver Jubilee ceremony held on Saturday, 11 April 2026, where 32,882 students graduated across undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
In what she described as “a moment of immense gratitude, joy, humility and satisfaction,” Professor Liman told a gathering of dignitaries, graduates, and awardees that the milestones recorded under her leadership reflect Nasarawa State University, Keffi’s steady rise as a hub of innovation, research, and global engagement.
The ceremony celebrated academic achievements for the 2022/2023, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025 academic sessions, while also honouring distinguished individuals for contributions to education, research, and national development.
32,882 GRADUATES, 82 FIRST CLASS HONOURS
Professor Liman disclosed that a total of 32,882 students graduated during the 8th Combined Convocation. This comprises 1,677 Doctor of Philosophy graduates, 8,169 Masters graduates, 2,809 Postgraduate Diploma graduates, 20,229 First Degree graduates, and 3 Honorary graduates, honoris causa
In the First Degree category, 82 students graduated with First Class Honours across all faculties, with an equal 50:50 gender split between males and females. The Vice-Chancellor appealed to the Nasarawa State Government to absorb indigenous First Class graduates into the University’s workforce as a way of incentivising excellence and strengthening the state’s academic manpower base.
To reward academic distinction, Nasarawa State University, Keffi is awarding 50,000 naira cash prizes to each of the 82 First Class graduates and another 50,000 naira to the best three graduates in each of the three academic sessions, amounting to 4,250,000 naira in total.
STRATEGIC REFORMS AND INSTITUTIONAL GROWTH
Outlining her two-year scorecard since the last convocation held in March 2022, Professor Liman said Nasarawa State University, Keffi had implemented a strategic administrative framework that guided transformative projects and reforms, including:
– Strategic Action Plan 2024 to 2029: Unveiled at the fourth Stakeholders’ Meeting in April 2025 by the Visitor, Governor Abdullahi Sule.
– New Deputy Vice-Chancellor Appointment: Appointment of a third Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Linkages to drive research, internationalisation, and alumni engagement.
– Amina Mohammed Centre for Climate Change: Inauguration of its Board of Trustees chaired by His Royal Highness Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Emir of Nasarawa; Advisory Board chaired by Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes National Project Coordinator Alhaji Umar Abdulhamid; and Academic Board chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic, Professor Maikano Ari.
– Nasarawa State University, Keffi Holdings Limited: Established to oversee five subsidiaries — Nasarawa State University, Keffi Consult Limited, Nasarawa State University, Keffi Integrated Farms, Nasarawa State University, Keffi Global Ventures Limited, Nasarawa State University, Keffi Printing Press, and Nasarawa State University, Keffi Hospitality Business Limited — aimed at boosting internally generated revenue.
– Financial Centralisation: Consolidation of financial oversight across directorates, schools, institutes, centres, faculties, and departments to ensure fiscal discipline.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACADEMIC EXPANSION
Beyond state-funded projects, Nasarawa State University, Keffi completed several key infrastructure works, including the Solomon Lar Centre, Professorial Office Block at the Faculty of Administration, Institute of Governance and Development Studies, Senate Building, and the Central Equipment Workshop at Gudi Campus.
The University also opened a liaison office in Asokoro, Abuja, to serve as a link with postgraduate students and international partners, facilitating research collaboration, commercialisation, and entrepreneurship.
On academic growth, 26 new programmes received approval between 2023 and 2025, while 73 programmes were accredited by the National Universities Commission. Professional accreditation was also secured from the Council for Legal Education in Nigeria, Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria, Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria, and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria for Law, Urban and Regional Planning, and Health Information Management programmes.
RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND GLOBAL FOOTPRINT
Professor Liman said Nasarawa State University, Keffi had achieved 2 patents within the period — one on a biopharmacological treatment using Parkia plant extract and another on a household water filtration and ultraviolet disinfection device. Students in the Faculty of Engineering also fabricated 100 hostel beds, demonstrating practical application of the University’s motto, “Knowledge for Development.”
The University secured Tertiary Education Trust Fund National Research Fund grants in 2023 and 2025, while the World Intellectual Property Organisation approved the establishment of a Technology Innovation Support Centre at Nasarawa State University, Keffi in 2023 to enhance intellectual property research.
On the international front, Nasarawa State University, Keffi has formalised over 100 partnerships globally, including Memoranda of Understanding with universities in India, Poland, the United States of America, Kenya, Tanzania, and Pakistan, as well as the United Nations Development Programme and the German Agency for International Cooperation. The institution is now the number one beneficiary of Erasmus Plus mobilities in Nigeria, with 40 students and 12 staff participating in exchange programmes.
Nasarawa State University, Keffi also won 2 European Union Capacity Building for Higher Education grants worth over 2 billion naira, cementing its place in the global research community.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION AND STUDENT WELFARE
Under the 2023 to 2027 Information and Communication Technology Policy, Nasarawa State University, Keffi expanded internet bandwidth by 700 percent to 1 gigabit per second, upgraded student and staff portals, and deployed digital literacy programmes in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency and Cisco. The University also won the 2024 Best State University Award for Innovative Use of Technology from the Bureau for Public Service Reforms.
On student welfare, the administration declared zero tolerance for sexual harassment, extortion, and academic dishonesty, while introducing an online hostel management system and renovating hostels across its four campuses.
GLOBAL RECOGNITION AND RANKINGS
The 2024 Times Higher Education rankings placed Nasarawa State University, Keffi as the 36th Best University in Sub-Saharan Africa, 8th Best University in Nigeria, and 2nd Best University among State Universities in Nigeria. In 2025, Nasarawa State University, Keffi ranked number one in Nigeria for Sustainable Development Goal Four — Quality Education.
Three Nasarawa State University, Keffi students also secured United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Fellowships to study at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland, with Nasarawa State University, Keffi receiving the highest allocation of 2 out of 3 slots awarded to Nigeria.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Entrepreneurship Development Centre has been repositioned to offer hands-on training in welding, software development, cinematography, tea blending, and mobile phone repairs. A new initiative now requires incoming students to acquire a skill alongside their academic programme, enabling them to graduate with three certificates: their degree certificate, a skill acquisition certificate, and a Corporate Affairs Commission business registration certificate.
CHALLENGES AND CALL FOR SUPPORT
Despite the gains, Professor Liman highlighted challenges including workforce shortages, insecurity, the need for perimeter fencing and closed-circuit television cameras, rising electricity bills exceeding 50 million naira monthly, and low enrolment of Nasarawa State indigenes, who now make up less than 50 percent of the 80 percent quota reserved for them.
She called on stakeholders to support the University in addressing these issues to secure the educational future of Nasarawa State indigenes.
APPRECIATION
Professor Liman expressed gratitude to Governor Abdullahi Sule, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Right Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, the Deputy Governor, members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Chancellor Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Pro-Chancellor Professor Attahiru Jega, and development partners including the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, National Universities Commission, National Information Technology Development Agency, United Nations Development Programme, and Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes.
Nasarawa State University, Keffi was established on 24 January 2001 under Nasarawa State Law Number 2 of 2001 and commenced academic activities in March 2002 under the visionary leadership of the state’s first civilian governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Turakin Keffi.