The Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State, has secured N1 billion from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Agricultural Commercial Farm Grant, placing the institution among the ten beneficiary universities nationwide.

Faruk Adamu-Kuta, the university’s vice-chancellor, made this known during a press conference to herald the institution’s 34th convocation ceremony and 43rd Founders’ Day Anniversary on Monday in Minna.

Mr Adamu-Kuta said the grant was aimed at strengthening agricultural research, practical training, and commercial farming in line with national food security and economic diversification objectives.

He also disclosed that the university attracted two major international research grants in 2025, including a $3 million ICT development grant from the Agence Française de Développement and a £15,000 Open Access Books grant from the United Kingdom.

According to the vice-chancellor, the grants underscored growing local and international confidence in FUT, Minna’s research capacity, accountability, and innovation drive.

Mr Adamu-Kuta said the 2026 convocation was not only ceremonial but also a celebration of resilience, academic excellence, innovation, and the institutional progress recorded by the university.

He announced that a total of 5,297 students would graduate during the convocation ceremony scheduled for Feb. 1, from the 2024/2025 academic session.

Mr Adamu-Kuta explained that the graduands comprised 4,438 first-degree holders, 73 postgraduate diploma recipients, 633 master’s degree awardees, and 153 doctoral degree recipients.

He said that 111 graduates earned first-class degrees, 1,525 second-class upper, 2,134 second-class lower, and 631 third-class, while 37 earned pass degrees.

Mr Adamu-Kuta said that FUT, Minna, was ranked the seventh-best university in Nigeria and emerged as the highest-ranked specialised university in the country in the 2026 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The VC further announced the establishment of the College of Medical Sciences and Health Technology following approval by the National Universities Commission, with pioneer students admitted for the 2025/2026 academic session.

He said the university also completed major infrastructure projects, including a gross anatomy laboratory and a bioinformatics laboratory, and embarked on the construction of a professorial office complex.

The VC added that FUT, Minna, voluntarily underwent an international quality assessment by the UK Quality Assurance Agency in November 2025 and was selected among 28 universities to participate in the TETFund Academic Staff Training Scholarship.

Mr Adamu-Kuta said that activities lined up for the convocation week included religious services, a convocation lecture, exhibition and project commissioning, sporting events, and prize awards.

He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, integrity and community service, while calling for sustained partnership with government, industry and the media to enhance research commercialisation and global visibility.

(NAN)