FUTO 38th Convocation: 3,358 Students Graduate as VC Prof. Nnenna Oti Bows Out

The Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, is set for its 38th Convocation ceremony as outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof. Nnenna Oti bows out after 5 years in office. 3,358 students will graduate in what marks the end of a tenure filled with major ranking jumps, new infrastructure, and academic expansion.

3,358 Students to Graduate
FUTO announced that 3,358 students will be awarded degrees, diplomas, and certificates at the 38th Convocation. The university also confirmed that the Convocation Lecture has been scheduled, inviting the university community and general public to participate.

Prof. Oti’s Legacy: Ranking, Research & Capacity
In her convocation address, Prof. Oti highlighted key achievements:

1. World Ranking Jump: FUTO moved from 34th to 11th in Nigeria by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking Agency. FUTO graduates also rank 2nd in the National Employability Index.
2. Accreditation: The university now has 66 fully accredited programmes compared to 45 at the start of her administration. “Almost 100 per cent of our programmes now have full NUC and professional accreditation status,” she stated.
3. Admission Capacity: Student carrying capacity increased by over 80%, rising from 5,000 in 2021 to more than 9,000 currently.
4. Research Grants: FUTO secured 11 National Research Fund grants worth over N256 million in 2024 and won 36 NRF awards within five years.
5. New Programmes: 17 new academic programmes were established during her tenure.

Major Infrastructure Wins
Prof. Oti’s administration attracted massive investments:

1. Solar Power: Nigeria’s largest university solar plant – an 8.54MWp Solar Hybrid Power Plant – was launched at FUTO. The project reduces reliance on diesel and provides consistent power for classrooms, labs, hostels, and ICT centers.
2. Teaching Hospital: The Federal Medical Centre, Owerri was successfully upgraded to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri, FUTHO.
3. Funding: Infrastructure investments exceeding N150 billion were attracted from FG, TETFund, NDDC, private organisations, alumni and development partners.
4. Centres of Excellence: The Africa Centre of Excellence in Future Energies attracted over $6 million, while the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Procurement secured over $15 million.

Transcript & Efficiency
Transcript processing time was reduced from 3-6 months to less than 2 weeks, with processing efficiency now at over 98%. The university also now enjoys uninterrupted electricity power supply.

Bottom line
As Prof. Nnenna Oti exits FUTO, she leaves behind a stronger institution with better rankings, more accredited programmes, stable power, and improved student capacity. The 38th Convocation will celebrate 3,358 graduates who are set to benefit from these reforms.

We’ll update this post with the exact convocation date and photos once FUTO releases them.