A total of One Thousand, Two Hundred and Eleven (1,211) students will bag first class and distinction categories of degrees at the 56th Convocation Ceremonies of the University of Lagos.
The number is made up of 617 first class honours and 92 distinctions all in the Bachelors’ Degree category, and 502 distinctions in the Postgraduate category.
Convocation Statistics
Speaking on Tuesday, January 14, 2026 at the Convocation Press Conference to outline activities for the University’s 56th Convocation Ceremonies, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, OON, FAS revealed that a total ten thousand, five hundred and eighty four (10,584) graduating students will receive first degrees or diplomas while Five Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Two (5,922) others will receive Postgraduate degrees.
Further breakdown of the graduation statistics shows that:
- Four thousand, five hundred and forty three (4,543) graduated in the Second-Class Upper category,
- Three thousand, nine hundred and ten (3,910) are in the Second-Class Lower Division,
- One thousand and twenty three (1,023) are graduating with Third-Class,
- Sixty nine (69) finished with Pass and
- a total of three hundred and thirty (330) have degrees that are not classified (from the Faculties of Pharmacy, Dental Sciences, Health Professionals and Clinical Sciences).
In the School of Postgraduate Studies;
- a total of four hundred and seventy nine (479) students will bag Postgraduate Diploma certificates (PGD). Out of this figure, forty one (41) made distinctions.
- Five thousand, one hundred and forty eight (5,148) will graduate in the Masters Degree category, with four hundred and twenty nine (429) having Distinctions
- One hundred and nineteen (119) will bag Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in various disciplines.
Prof Ogunsola disclosed that the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS) will also churn out one hundred and forty (140) participants, with thirty two (32) of them finishing with distinctions.
Best Graduating Students Awards
Flanked by other principal officers of the University, Prof. Ogunsola said the spotlight will be on UMEOZOR, Chukwuzubelu Benedict (Male) who made a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.00 in Business Administration as the 2024/2025 Overall Best Graduating Student and Best in Humanities while OLOTON, Deborah Isiuwa (Female) who graduated with a CGPA of 4.91 in Architecture is the Best Graduating Student in the Sciences for the year.
According to her, ABUBAKAR, Haruna Egbunu who obtained his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering (Structures option) is the Overall Best Ph.D Thesis Award Winner while ZUHUMNEN Beatice Paul of Educational Psychology secured the Best Ph.D Thesis in Humanities Award.
From the University of Lagos Business School, Adebamowo, Oyeyemi Idowu will smile home with the Best Doctoral Thesis Award (DBA) while Olapoju, Bamidele Joshua clinched the Best Graduating Master’s Degree Award, having graduated with a CGPA of 4.94.
Line –Up of Activities for the 56th Convocation Ceremonies
Prof. Ogunsola said activities for the 56th Convocation Ceremonies will kick off on Friday, January 16, 2026 with a Special Jumat Service at the University of Lagos Central Mosque.
She said Monday, January 19, 2026 is dedicated to the commissioning of UNILAG Multimedia Library Studio (a state-of-the-art facility funded through a World Bank Centre Of Excellence Fund to empower students and researchers to document Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage on digital media) and Opening of Exhibition at the Jelili Omotola (Multi-Purpose) Hall, UNILAG.
Other activities, according to her, include:
- Monday, January 19, 2026 (12noon): The Convocation lecture titled: Maximizing Nigeria’s Demographic Dividend through Urgent Education Reform for Global Competitiveness in the 21st Century will hold on the same day at the J. F. Ade. Ajayi (Main) Auditorium. The lecture will be delivered by Mr. Orondaam Otto, (Founder and Executive Director, Slum2School Africa) under the Chairmanship of Professor Rahamon Bello, FAEng (11th Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG and current President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering).
- Tuesday, January 20 and Wednesday, January 21, 2026 (morning and afternoon sessions): The congregation for the Award of First Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates and Prizes on Graduating Students across all faculties.
Graduating students across all departments in the Faculties of Education, Social Sciences as well as Communication and Media Studies, Arts, Creative Arts, Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Life Sciences, Physical and Earth Sciences as well as Computing and Informatics will have shine on Tuesday, January 20 while graduating students of the Faculties of Management Sciences, Engineering, Law, Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dental Sciences, Health Professions, Pharmacy and the Distance Learning Institute (DLI) will have their turn on Wednesday, January 21.
- Thursday, January 22, 2026 (Morning Session): Congregation for the Award of Postgraduate Diplomas (PGD) and Masters Degrees of the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS), as well as School of Postgraduate Studies.
- Thursday, January 22, 2026 (Afternoon Session): Congregation for the award of Ph.Ds alongside the Best Ph.D. Award of the School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS) and University of Lagos Business School (ULBS).
There would also be the Conferment of Emeritus Professors, Distinguished Professors, Award of Gold Medals and Honorary Doctorates Degrees on the same day. The awardees are as follows:
- Distinguished Professor James Dele Olowokudejo of the Department of Botany and Professor Duro Oni of the Department of Theatre Arts will bag the Emeritus Professorship titles.
- Professor Akisanya Olayide Osibogun will get the Distinguished Professorship title.
- Gold Medal Awards will go to Professor Ayoka Mopelola Olusakin of the Faculty of Education (Professor of Counselling Psychology) and Dr (Mrs) Taiwo Folasade Ipaye (former Registrar and current Director, Office of Advancement).
- Honorary Doctorate Degree Awardees are Mr. Jubril Adewale Tinubu, CON (Founder and Group Chief Executive of Oando PLC) and Barrister Kanu Godwin Agabi, SAN (Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the Federation).
- Friday, January 23, 2026: Long Service Award/Luncheon with the Doyen Programme will hold at the Tolu Odugbemi Hall, UNILAG, Akoka, while the Convocation Play titled: Ovonramwen Nogbaisi written by Ola Rotimi (Directed by Mr. Abiodun Abeh) will hold at 4p.m. at the J. F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos, Akoka
- Sunday, January 25, 2026: The 56th Convocation Ceremonies will climax with a Convocation Thanksgiving Service at the Chapel of Christ Our Light, University of Lagos, Akoka.
2025 Milestones
Professor Ogunsola used the avenue provided by the Press Conference to highlight the University’s milestones as it relates to research, teaching and community service all firmly anchored on the university management’s vision to increase brand recognition and its impact both nationally and globally.
Her words “…we have retained our 1st position in Nigeria in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking placing us in the 801-1000 band globally out of 2,191 institutions. A deep dive into the raking showed we topped the chart in research quality and Industry income. We also won the Most International African Institution (West Africa) 2025, awarded by the International Education (TINE) at its Africa Summit for our exceptional impact in advancing international education opportunities…”
The Vice Chancellor also gave a detailed breakdown of the University’s feats in infrastructure and students’ housing, ongoing digital transformation and innovation, internationalization and partnerships, academic expansion and grants, staff and capacity building, staff and students achievements, Green Campus as well as Culture, Alumni and community impact.
According to her, the University of Lagos pulled nothing less than $17,375,431.2 million dollars (over 24 billion naira) worth of research grants within 2025, with the largest portion coming from health-related research.
As part of entrepreneurship and talents development efforts within 2025, the Vice-Chancellor said over fourteen (14,000) students and youths from the town were trained; sixty one (61) startups were supported in various ways including helping them to secure external funding; fifty eight (58) IP rights were processed and twenty nine (29) startups were fully registered.
She said over fifty million naira (N50 million) was awarded for prototype development and nearly ten thousand (10,000) participants engaged in various entrepreneurship and skills programmes. According to Prof. Ogunsola, these figures exceeded annual targets, significantly and reflect the University’s growing national and global impact.
On cultural impacts, Prof. Ogunsola recalled the UNILAG in Town initiative and the Moremi Ajasoro Restage of December 19, 2025. Milestones, which she said, launched and solidified UNILAG’s position as a major player in the 2025 Detty-December sector.
The Vice-Chancellor adjudged 2025 as a year of growth on many fronts despite harsh economic realities. She was full of gratitude to all stakeholders for the support enjoyed and expressed openness to partnership which would birth growth and excellence as the University commits to more innovative, globally connected, student-focused, and impact-driven goals.
Registrar Draws the Curtain
After a robust question and answer session, the Convocation Press Conference was brought to a close by the Registrar of the University, Mrs. Abosede Wickliffe.
She appreciated the media for their partnership, professionalism and commitment to promoting the activities of the University of Lagos and called for their continued support throughout the convocation ceremonies and year.
Click here to download the Vice-Chancellor’s Address for the 56th Pre-Convocation Press Conference.
To watch the event, please click: https://www.youtube.com/live/G2_IbsWMptI
Report: Gbenga Gbelee
Photography: Samuel Dosumu & Favour Megwara
Photo editor: Michael Joshua
