The long-awaited transition of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) into a university is finally becoming a reality, as President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for the conversion. This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during his visit to the institution on Friday.
Addressing the management, staff, and students, Alausa acknowledged the strong desire within the college community for this upgrade.
“The rector said some minutes ago that the staff, students, and management of the college have been praying and fasting that it be converted to a university. Somehow, you have kind of ambushed me, but I must let you know that when I discussed the issue with President Bola Tinubu, he did not waste time in approving. I am just waiting for the memo and other necessary protocols from the appropriate quarters,” he said.
Highlighting the institution’s capabilities, he noted that with over 200 PhD holders among its faculty, YABATECH is well-prepared for this transition. He credited President Tinubu for his commitment to education and youth empowerment, stating that the administration remains focused on strengthening the education sector.
During his visit, Alausa inspected and inaugurated several projects within the college, commending the management for maintaining the institution’s infrastructure despite its age. He also reaffirmed the government’s support for technological advancement and innovation in education.
“I commend you for pursuing excellence, and we need innovation and investments in technology for development. I can assure you that the federal government will back you up,” he added.
Emphasizing the administration’s commitment to technical and vocational education, Alausa pointed out that prioritizing fields like artificial intelligence, robotics, and coding will create opportunities for Nigerian youths to work remotely for global companies, ultimately curbing the ongoing trend of migration in search of jobs.
“We know that if our youths are good at those things, they can be in Nigeria and be working for firms in many parts of the world, earning foreign exchange. That will help stem this Japa of a thing, where people travel abroad to do menial jobs,” he stated.
He further highlighted how, for decades, Nigeria had sidelined technical and vocational education in favor of white-collar job preparation. However, the government is now shifting focus to align with global trends by integrating TVET into mainstream education to foster manufacturing, technological advancements, and private sector growth.
YABATECH Rector, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, reaffirmed the institution’s readiness for the transition, emphasizing its vision to become a hub for technical and vocational education that drives innovation and solves real-world problems.
“While we are praying that we become a university, we don’t want to become just one of those universities. We want to be a university of technical and vocational education that would bring innovation and also solve societal problems and challenges and contribute greatly to the advancement of our dear country. We have the manpower, and we just need the support of the government in this regard,” he said.
Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi, expressed gratitude for the minister’s visit and sought his continued support in addressing the institution’s needs.
With the presidential approval in place, the formal processes required to complete YABATECH’s transition into a university are expected to follow soon, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s higher education landscape.
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