The National Universities Commission (NUC) has officially approved the establishment of the Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science, and Technology in Oferekpe.
This makes it the 66th state university and the 278th in Nigeria’s university system.
Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, on Thursday presented the recognition letter to Governor Francis Nwifuru.
The recognition letter will also be sent to key education bodies like JAMB, TETFund, NYSC, and NELFUND.
However, academic activities will only begin after a thorough resource verification.
The NUC explained that it will assess the university’s infrastructure, classrooms, library, and staff before granting full approval for operations.
“We want to say on the part of the Commission, we are ready and willing to support this young university.
“However, we need to indicate that giving a recognition letter is not equated with starting or commencement of academic activities. We will still have to undertake what is called resource verification.
“The Commission will visit when the university is ready, it will invite the Commission to go and look at the state of affairs, to look at the infrastructure, to look at the classrooms, look at the library, look at the staffing.
“After that, the Commission will give the go-ahead for commencement of academic activities. It is pertinent to note that this university becomes the 66th state university, ” he said.
Governor Nwifuru noted that the university, proclaimed in 2021, aims to expand access to quality education for Ebonyi residents and address technological manpower needs.
“The reason for the establishment of this university is to ramp up the access to quality and affordable tertiary education particularly for the State indigenes and grant everyone the opportunity to tertiary education in order to address the needed technological manpower requirements of the State in particular, and the Nation in general, especially now that the World is fast-changing because of the Tech-Driven Phenomenon, ” he said.
He assured that the state government has made significant investments in campus facilities, including buildings for administration, staff, students, and faculty, which are nearing completion.
To ensure skilled manpower, the governor shared that 1,000 students are currently pursuing advanced degrees through the state’s scholarship program. Upon graduation, these individuals will strengthen tertiary education within Ebonyi.
