University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) is a federal government-owned public research university in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. The university's main campus sits on an expansive area of land, about in the ancient city of Ilorin; making it the largest university in Nigeria and one of the largest in Africa by landmass. The university comprises 16 faculties and over 100 academic departments offering 103 programmes. It was established by a decree of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria in August 1975. The University of Ilorin has the highest enrollment of foreign students in Nigeria. The establishment aimed to implement one of the educational directives of the Third National Development Plan, which was aimed at providing more opportunities for Nigerians aspiring to acquire university education and to generate high-level manpower, which is vital for the rapidly expanding economy. Compared to other higher institutions of learning in the country, the institution has one of the largest land areas, covering approximately 15,000 hectares of land. It is reported by Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) to be the most sought-after Nigerian university in 2021. And again in 2023, and also in 2024, it was announced by the JAMB Head, Professor Ishaq Oloyede to be the sought-after University, for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), making it for the 10th consecutive year.
For 2024-2025, Times Higher Education ranked the university 38th in sub-Saharan Africa.
History
The university began in 1975 as a university college affiliated to the University of Ibadan. Dr. T. N. Tamuno who was a professor and Head of the History Department at the University of Ibadan was appointed the first principal of the college in September 1975. By December 1975, Tamuno was appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan. As a result, Professor O. O. Akinkugbe was appointed as the new Principal for the University of Ilorin (then, a University College) in 1975. Akinkugbe was the former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
Akinkugbe, made several visits to the second Military Governor of Kwara State, the late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo in connection with the new institution, such that by March 1976, he had established residence at Ilorin. The support given to the inexperienced Institution by Governor Taiwo continued even more vigorously under the third Military Governor of the State, Brigadier George Agbazika Innih, who ceded a portion of the land of the Kwara State College of Technology to the university. In October 1977, the institution attained full autonomous status with the appointment of Professor O.O Akinkugbe as the first Vice-Chancellor of the university.
The first set of 200 students were admitted on 23 October 1976 following an entrance examination and academic work started on 25 October 1976 following the Principal's address. The University College started with three academic faculties: Arts, Science and Education. The university started off on a portion of the temporary campus of the Kwara State Polytechnic known as the mini-campus. The mini-campus was the site of academic programmes for the Faculties of Arts, Science, Education, Engineering & Technology, Business and Social Sciences and Basic Clinical Sciences section of the Health Sciences Faculty. All operations of the university were conducted on the mini-campus until January 1982 when more than 1000 students studying in sciences were moved to the permanent site of the institution following completion of new Faculty blocks and residences for Natural Sciences and Engineering in the site. In 1983, the law programme was established as a department under the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Following a 6-year hiatus, the Law Department was accorded a full-fledged Faculty status in 1993.
The university has fifteen faculties and dozens of (over 60) Academic Departments. The faculties existing in University of Ilorin now are: Arts, Agriculture, Environmental Sciences, Life Sciences, Management Sciences, Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Communication and Information Sciences, Education, Engineering and Technology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Law, Basic Medical Sciences and Clinical Sciences (the last two faculties are operating under the University College of Health Sciences). In addition, there are two Institutes - Institute of Education and Unilorin Sugar Research Institute, this is in addition to a full-fledged Postgraduate School. The university also has several centres notably among which are: Centre for Ilorin Studies, Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Ilorin Business School and so on.
Undergraduate Degree programmes run for 3–5, or 6 years, depending on entry qualifications and chosen discipline. Similarly, the postgraduate programmes are run on different dimensions depending on the nature of the program.
There have been several vice-chancellors of the university. Is-haq Oloyede was the first alumnus to be appointed as vice-chancellor.
In 2020, The Nigerian Journal of Technological Development, a quarterly publication of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, was accepted by the Scopus database.
In 2025, the University of Ilorin reached a milestone and called for the celebration of its 50years of existence. During this period, the institution recounted its achievements, inventions, research, and notable alumni,
Vice-chancellors
Prof. Ladipo Akinkugbe (1975–1978) second principal and first vice chancellor Prof. A. O. Adesola (1978–1981) Prof. S. A. Toye (1981–1984) Prof. A. Adeniyi (1985–1992) Prof.J.O Oyinloye (1992–1997) Prof. S. O. Abdulraheem (1997–2002) Prof. S. O. Amali (2002–2007) Prof. I. O. Oloyede (2007–2012) Prof A. G. Ambali (2012–2017) Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem (2017–2022) Prof. Wahab Egbewole (2022–present)
Notable alumni
Femi Adebayo, Nollywood actor. Ezekiel Adebiyi, president, Nigerian Society of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Pius Adesanmi, professor and columnist Ifedayo Adetifa, Former Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Abdulfatah Ahmed, former Kwara State Governor. Sarah Alade, banker, former acting Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria. Salamat Ahuoiza Aliu, first woman neurosurgeon in West Africa Jekwu Anyaegbuna, writer and poet Charles Ayo, former vice-chancellor, Covenant University. Ado J. G. Muhammad, Global Programme Director, D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme. Former Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency. Abdul Rasheed Na'Allah, former vice-chancellor of Kwara State University and the University of Abuja Aize Obayan, former vice-chancellor, Covenant University and Landmark University. Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin, women's rights activist Adenike Oladiji, vice-chancellor, Federal University of Technology Akure Temi Olajide, child/sleep training consultant Johnson Bamidele Olawumi, former Director General, National Youth Service Corps. Is-haq Oloyede, the university's first alumni vice chancellor, Registrar Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Nkem Owoh, comedian.Mahfouz Adedimeji, former Vice Chancellor, Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, and Vice Chancellor, African School of Economics (The Pan-African University of Excellence), Abuja ]]. Kemi Nanna Nandap, Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service Olayemi Akinwumi, Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Lokoja Lekan KingKong, Nigerian content creator and entrepreneur
Notable faculty
John Omoniyi Abiri, Nigerian academic, the first head of department and dean of the Faculty of Education
Academic and physical development
Following an entrance examination, 200 foundation students were admitted into residence on Saturday, October 23, 1976, and academic activities commenced on Monday, October 25, 1976, after the Principal's maiden address in the Africa Hall. The University College had three foundation Faculties namely: Arts, Science, and Education. The Institution began to develop its programmes in a way that not less than 60% of its effort was directed towards science-oriented programmes.
In October 1977, the Institution attained full autonomous status and has since then developed by leaps and bounds. The student population of 200 in 1976 has increased to 20,084 by the 2005/2006 session, while the total staff strength of the university stood at approximately 3,040 as of March 1, 2007.
Until January 1982, the university carried out its academic programmes, involving the Faculties of Arts, Science, Education, Engineering & Technology, Business and Social Sciences, and the Pre-Clinical aspect of the Health Sciences on the Mini-Campus. The completion of the Faculty blocks for Natural Sciences and Engineering as well as 8 blocks of student hostels by December 1981, made it possible, on 2 January 1982, for the actual movement of over 1,000 science-oriented students to the Main-Campus to pursue their various academic programmes.
The law degree programme was initially established in 1983/84 session as a department in the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. Though canceled in 1986/87, it was resuscitated in 1993/94 as a full-fledged Faculty.
The Main Campus currently houses the Faculties of Science, Communication and Information Sciences(CIS), Engineering & Technology, Agriculture, Education, Law, Arts, Business and Social Sciences, (following the completion of the new seven-storey Senate Complex), the Unilorin Sugar Research Institute, Postgraduate School, the Main University Library, Computer Services and Information Technology (COMSIT), works yard, conference centre, Unilorin Resources Development and Management Board (URDMB), student canteens, the newly completed 2,000-seat multipurpose auditorium and the Alumni/ Endowment Office. The Mini-Campus presently houses the College of Health Sciences, a mini library, canteens and shopping complex, the Institute of Education, some of the revenue-yielding projects which are under the URDMB such as the Unilorin Computer Centre (Training Wing), Unilorin Bookshop, the bakery, the printing press, and the guest houses. Each campus has a health centre, a post office, and banking facilities.
Aside from two lecture theatres commissioned in 1997, there is an upsurge, from 2002 to date, in the physical development of the Main Campus. Five new Hostels were completed in 2002. Other projects were the Faculty of Education blocks and Lecture theatre; Lecture rooms, Offices and Lecture Theatre for the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences; Faculty of Science Chemistry block; Department of Agricultural Engineering block; offices for the Department of Physical and Health Education; COMSIT building (Phase I) among others.
A water dam and treatment plant to provide uninterrupted water supply to the main campus has just been completed. The university will soon construct a rail-line to boost transportation between the university's main campus and the township.
Apart from the renovation of buildings, a systematic upgrading of teaching and research facilities are being undertaken by the university within its lean resources. This includes the provision of computers, laboratory equipment, etc.
Growth of faculties
From three faculties in 1976, today there are fifteen faculties: Arts (1976), Education (1976), Engineering & Technology (1978), Agriculture (1982), Law (1993, after an initial start-up in 1983), Basic Medical Sciences (2004), Clinical Sciences (2004) Communication and Information Sciences (2008), Veterinary Medicine (2009), Pharmaceutical Science (2010), and Life Science; Physical Science; Environmental Science; Management Sciences; and Social Sciences in (2013).