The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has announced that President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of Yaba College of Technology into a full-fledged university.
According to The PUNCH, Alausa made the revelation during a working visit to the college on Friday, stating that YABATECH was more than ready to take on the new status due to its qualifications and legacy.
“The Rector mentioned that staff, students, and the management have been praying and fasting for this conversion, and when I discussed it with President Tinubu, he immediately approved it,” Alausa said. “I am just waiting for the memo and other necessary protocols.”
He praised the institution for its academic strength, citing the fact that over 200 staff members hold doctoral degrees.
“This school is a legacy, and with this incredible staff, it is more than ready to become a university. The credit goes to the President, who loves education and is concerned about giving the best to the youth—our future leaders.”
During his visit, Alausa also inaugurated and inspected ongoing projects at the college, expressing satisfaction with the institution’s maintenance culture.
“I commend you for pursuing excellence,” he said. “We need innovation and investments in technology for development, and I assure you the federal government will back you up.”
The Minister also highlighted the government’s focus on technical and vocational education (TVET) and entrepreneurship to tackle the “Japa Syndrome,” referring to the mass emigration of Nigerian youth seeking opportunities abroad.
“We are not taking the issue of Artificial Intelligence, robotics, and coding lightly. Our youths can work from Nigeria for firms worldwide, earning foreign exchange. This will help reduce the ‘Japa Syndrome’—where people leave to do menial jobs abroad,” Alausa explained.
He emphasized the shift from focusing on white-collar jobs to prioritizing TVET, in line with trends seen in Europe and other countries. “We need education that supports manufacturing, technological innovation, and a robust private sector to drive societal growth,” he added.
Earlier, the Rector of YABATECH, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, affirmed the college’s qualifications to be upgraded to university status, noting that it had more than 200 PhD holders on its staff.
“While we have been praying for this transformation, we don’t just want to become another university,” Abdul said. “We aim to be a university of Technical and Vocational Education, focused on innovation and solving societal challenges to contribute to the nation’s development.”
The Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi, thanked the Minister for his visit and urged continued support to meet the institution’s demands.
