The Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State has secured a N1 billion Agricultural Commercial Farm Grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), placing it among the ten beneficiary universities nationwide.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Faruk Adamu-Kuta, disclosed this on Monday in Minna during a press conference to herald the university’s 34th convocation ceremony and 43rd Founders’ Day anniversary.
He said the grant was aimed at strengthening agricultural research, practical training and commercial farming in support of national food security and economic diversification goals.
Prof. Adamu-Kuta also revealed 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, describing them as a reflection of growing confidence in FUT Minna’s research capacity and accountability.
According to him, the 2026 convocation ceremony, scheduled for February 1, will see a total of 5,297 students graduate from the 2024/2025 academic session.
The graduands include 4,438 first-degree holders, 73 postgraduate diploma recipients, 633 master’s degree awardees and 153 doctoral graduates.
He added that 111 students graduated with first-class honours, while 1,525 earned second-class upper, 2,134 second-class lower, 631 third-class degrees and 37 pass degrees.
The vice-chancellor noted that FUT Minna was ranked 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.
He further announced the establishment of a College of Medical Sciences and Health Technology following approval by the National Universities Commission, with pioneer students admitted for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Prof. Adamu-Kuta said the university had completed key infrastructure projects, including gross anatomy and bioinformatics laboratories, and commenced construction of a professorial office complex.
He added that FUT Minna recently underwent an international quality assessment by the UK Quality Assurance Agency and was selected among 28 universities to benefit from the TETFund Academic Staff Training Scholarship.
Activities lined up for the convocation week include religious services, a convocation lecture, exhibitions, project commissioning, sporting events and prize awards.
The vice-chancellor reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, integrity and community service, while calling for sustained partnerships with government, industry and the media to boost research commercialisation and global visibility.
