Prosperous individuals, corporate organizations, and governments have been urged to support private universities in Nigeria to enhance the country’s industrial and economic development. This call was made by Prof. Alewo Johnson Akubo, Vice Chancellor of Salem University in Lokoja, during a pre-convocation press briefing on Monday.
Prof. Akubo emphasized the role of private universities in shaping both the public and private sectors, noting that the products of these institutions contribute significantly to the workforce and national development. He stressed the need for support from various sectors to accelerate the progress of higher education in the country.
Salem University is set to graduate 499 students, including 41 with First Class honors, in its combined convocation for the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions. The graduates represent seven colleges, including the College of Management and Social Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, College of Humanities, College of Education, College of Information and Communication Technology, College of Law, and the Postgraduate School.
Prof. Akubo also highlighted the establishment of a new College of Basic Medicine, which received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) two months ago. The university’s College of Law also achieved full accreditation from the NUC, an accomplishment that saw three sets of law graduates sent to the Nigerian Law School, with the first two batches already graduated and the third set preparing to follow.
In terms of postgraduate programs, the university has expanded its offerings from an initial focus on M.Sc. and MBA programs to include Postgraduate Diplomas (PGD) and PhD programs across seven disciplines, after a successful resource verification. Akubo revealed plans to submit additional programs for accreditation in a bid to further strengthen the university’s postgraduate education.
Despite these successes, the Vice Chancellor acknowledged that student enrollment remains a significant challenge for the institution. He urged stakeholders to help address this persistent issue to ensure the continued growth and success of private universities in Nigeria.
