Crawford University has cleared 630 graduands for its 18th Convocation ceremony, with 54 of them finishing with First Class honours. The school also approved new academic programmes, mostly in health sciences.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Olanrewaju Makinde, disclosed this at a press conference on Wednesday, November 11. He said the university is consolidating its foundations and positioning itself for greater national and international relevance.
The Crawford University 18th Convocation Lecture will hold on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 9:30am. The venue is the Crawford University International Conference Centre, Faith City, Igbesa, Ogun State.
Titled “The Future of Crawford University: Globalising the Locals and Glocalizing the Globals,” the lecture will be delivered by Dr Alban Igwe. It will form part of the main ceremony for the conferment of degrees on the 630 graduands.
“It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you to Crawford University on the occasion of our 18th Convocation Ceremony, during which we shall formally confer various degrees and postgraduate diplomas on the graduating students of the 2025/2026 academic session, proudly identified as Unicorn 18, representing the class of 2025/2026,” Makinde said.
The graduating class has 528 undergraduates and 102 postgraduates. Among the undergraduates, 54 earned First Class, 233 got Second Class Upper, 191 got Second Class Lower, and 50 got Third Class.
Makinde said 287 undergraduates, about 54.5 per cent, finished with First Class or Second Class Upper Division.
“This is an encouraging academic outcome and reflects the University’s continuing commitment to academic standards, quality teaching, effective learning and intellectual development,” he said.
At the postgraduate level, the university is presenting 57 Master of Science graduates, 7 Master of Business Administration graduates, 21 Postgraduate Diploma graduates and 17 Doctor of Philosophy graduates.
For the regular undergraduate programme, Ibazebo Anthony Eromonsele of computer science and technology and Njoku Chiamaka Jasmine of biochemistry emerged as joint best graduating students. Each recorded a cumulative grade point average of 4.92.
Uzoma Perpetua Ndidiamaka of physics with electronics emerged as the best graduating student of the School of Part-Time Studies, with a CGPA of 4.96.
“These accomplishments are worthy of celebration. They demonstrate the intellectual discipline, perseverance and commitment that we seek to cultivate in our students,” Makinde said.
On academic expansion, he said the newly approved programmes under the College of Allied Health Sciences are nursing science, medical laboratory science, physiotherapy, radiography, public health and community health. Three new postgraduate programmes were also approved: Master of Science in Finance, Marketing and Mass Communication.
“This development represents a landmark in the university’s academic history, because it introduces Crawford University into a strategically important dimension of professional education and strengthens our contribution to the development of skilled human resources for Nigeria’s healthcare sector,” he said.
According to him, the conversion of the cooperative building and Jupep buildings into college facilities is complete. Preparations are underway to begin academic activities, and students are expected to resume shortly after the convocation ceremonies.
Makinde also said Crawford University became the first university in Nigeria to attain National Education Repository and Databank status. He explained that this strengthens digital scholarship, research visibility and knowledge management.
The institution has also entered strategic international partnerships. It was selected for the Africa-Brazil universities collaboration initiative and has signed memoranda of understanding with several foreign and domestic entities to promote research collaboration, staff development and graduate employability.
Makinde reiterated the university’s motto, Knowledge with Godliness. He said university education must go beyond certificates to build intellectual independence, professional competence, moral responsibility, leadership capacity and spiritual consciousness.
“To our graduating students, Unicorn 18, congratulations. You are the products and ambassadors of this institution. We expect you to distinguish yourselves wherever you find yourselves,” he said.
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
