Yabatech Calls on Alumni to Support Its Transition to University Status

Funmi Ogundare

Prof. Funsho Afolabi, Chairman of the Governing Council of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), has urged alumni worldwide to pool their resources, expertise and influence to support the college’s bid to become a University of Technology and Vocational Studies.

Afolabi delivered the appeal at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the YABATECH Alumni Association. He described the proposed transition as a historic milestone that demands collective commitment from all stakeholders, especially graduates.

Represented by Dr. Maruf Adebakin, Afolabi said the college has reached a defining moment and is already implementing strategic measures to ensure a smooth transformation into a university focused on technology and vocational studies.

He added that the process will require resilience, innovation and collaboration among stakeholders to achieve the desired outcome.

“The college stands at a critical point in its history, and the support of the alumni association has become more important than ever. We need an association that will deploy its intellectual resources, professional expertise, national influence and global networks to support the institution,” Afolabi said.

He urged alumni to use their positions in government, industry, academia and the private sector to attract partnerships, facilitate interventions, influence favourable policies, and contribute to projects that can accelerate the institution’s growth and development.

Afolabi also appealed for sustained unity within the alumni body, warning that divisions could undermine progress for both the Association and the institution.

He noted that YABATECH, as Nigeria’s premier higher institution, occupies a unique place in the nation’s educational history, having produced generations of professionals whose contributions have impacted national development.

The governing council chairman reiterated the institution’s commitment to maintaining its legacy of excellence through quality teaching, technological innovation, industry‑driven programmes and alignment with national development priorities.

Afolabi further praised the alumni association’s leadership for fostering cohesion among members and repositioning the body as a strategic partner in the institution’s development agenda.

In his remarks, Rector Dr. Ibraheem Abdul described the college as a national asset and a centre of technological excellence that has consistently produced innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals contributing to Nigeria’s industrial and economic growth. He stated that achieving the institution’s aspiration to become a world‑class university of technology and vocational studies will require stronger collaboration among management, staff, alumni and other stakeholders.

Abdul highlighted the AGM theme, “Food Security, Drug Safety and National Prosperity: The Strategic Role of Tertiary Institutions and Alumni Bodies,” as timely, stressing that tertiary institutions must increasingly provide practical solutions to national challenges.

He reaffirmed management’s commitment to strengthening engagement with the association through mentorship programmes, collaborative initiatives and industry‑academia partnerships to advance innovation and institutional development.

The Chairman of the alumni Board of Trustees, Wing Commander Solomon Ajayi (retd.), said the institution is on the verge of a historic transformation and that the alumni body is repositioning itself to seize emerging opportunities while addressing attendant challenges. He restated reforms within the association, including strengthened governance structures, active committees and the revitalisation of its college of elders to enhance professionalism, continuity and stakeholder engagement.

National President of the association, Yemi Osinbajo, noted that the AGM was designed to serve as a platform for strategic collaboration and collective action toward promoting education, innovation and national development. He disclosed that the association had launched a “Pick A Project” initiative to attract support for infrastructure development, student welfare, entrepreneurship, research, innovation hubs, digital transformation and security enhancement within the institution.

Osinbajo underlined the association’s commitment to supporting the college’s elevation to a university of technology, insisting that the institution possesses the academic capacity, technological orientation and industrial relevance required for such status.