The University of Lagos (UNILAG) is poised for a landmark academic celebration as it prepares to honour a new generation of scholars. The institution's 56th Convocation Ceremonies, a key event in Nigeria's educational calendar, will see a total of 16,509 students receive their hard-earned degrees and diplomas.
A Celebration of Academic Excellence
The week-long ceremonies are scheduled to run from January 16 to January 25, 2026. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, provided a detailed breakdown of the graduating class. A significant 10,584 students will be awarded first degrees and diplomas, while 5,922 will receive postgraduate qualifications, including Master's and PhD degrees. An additional 140 graduates will emerge from the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS).
The most striking figure from this convocation is the number of students graduating with top honours. An impressive 709 scholars have bagged First Class degrees, a testament to the high academic standards and student dedication at UNILAG.
Top Performers and Honoured Guests
Leading the pack of exceptional students is Chukwuzubelu Benedict Umeozo from the Department of Business Administration, who achieved a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.0 to emerge as the overall best-graduating student. In the sciences, Deborah Isiuwa Oloton from the Department of Architecture distinguished herself as the best-graduating student with a stellar CGPA of 4.91.
The convocation will also feature the conferment of honorary doctorates on two distinguished Nigerians: Mr. Jubril Adewale Tinubu and Kanu Godwin Agabi (SAN), the former Attorney-General of the Federation. A convocation lecture titled 'Maximising Nigeria’s demographic dividend through urgent education reform for global competitiveness in the 21st Century' will be delivered by Mr. Orondaam Otto, founder of Slum2School Africa.
UNILAG's Stature on the Global Stage
This convocation comes at a time when UNILAG continues to solidify its reputation for excellence. The university has retained its position as Nigeria’s top-ranked institution, sharing the spot with the University of Ibadan (UI) in the prestigious 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. Furthermore, UNILAG's global outreach was recognised with the Most International African Institution (West Africa) 2025 award.
The graduation of over sixteen thousand students, including hundreds of First Class honourees, underscores UNILAG's pivotal role in shaping Nigeria's future workforce and intellectual leadership. The event highlights both the academic rigour of the institution and the remarkable achievements of its students.
