The management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), has celebrated a major academic milestone by conferring degrees on 32,884 graduands across three academic sessions. The combined 8th convocation ceremony, held on Saturday in Keffi, honored students from the 2022/2023, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025 sessions.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who attended the ceremony, congratulated the new graduates and urged them to become ambassadors of honor and integrity. He charged the graduands to apply their acquired knowledge to nation-building and community development, emphasizing that as graduates of NSUK, they are expected to give back significantly to society.
Reaffirming his administration’s support for the institution, Governor Sule noted that investment in quality education remains a top priority for socio-economic development. He also commended the university’s Governing Council, chaired by Prof. Attahiru Jega, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sa’adatu Liman, for providing purposeful leadership that has allowed the university to compete on a global scale.
Providing a breakdown of the academic achievements, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sa’adatu Liman revealed that the 32,884 graduands included 1,677 PhD recipients, 8,169 Master’s degree holders, 2,809 Postgraduate Diploma awardees, and 20,229 first-degree graduates. Notably, 82 students graduated with First Class Honours, with an equal gender ratio. The university recognized these top achievers with cash awards of ₦50,000 each, alongside additional rewards for the overall best graduands of each session.
In a move to strengthen the institution’s academic manpower, Prof. Liman appealed to the state government to consider employing First Class indigenes of the university. The ceremony also featured the conferment of honorary degrees on distinguished figures, including President Samia Hassan of Tanzania, BUA Group Chairman Alhaji Abdul Samad-Rabiu, and Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadu, President of the Nigerian-Arabian Gulf Chamber of Commerce.
Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Tope Oyeleke, a PhD recipient, encouraged women to pursue their academic dreams with determination. She advised aspiring scholars to seek the necessary support systems and commit to their goals without delay, describing the academic path as challenging but deeply rewarding.