By Ejike Agbata 

All is set for the 16th convocation ceremony of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, with a total of 3,355 students expected to receive first degrees.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kate Omenugha, disclosed this during a press conference held at the Vice Chancellor’s conference room, outlining activities lined up for the ceremony scheduled to commence on April 22.

She revealed that the convocation will feature a Founder’s Day Lecture titled “Sustainable and Climate Resilient Future: Beyond Rhetorics,” to be delivered by the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, at the ETF Auditorium.

According to her, the convocation lecture, themed “Building Innovative Minds and Bridges for Shared Prosperity,” will be delivered by the Polish Ambassador to Nigeria.

Other activities include an interdenominational service and interactive sessions with students aimed at engaging them and assessing their welfare.

Prof. Omenugha described this year’s convocation as a “diplomatic edition,” noting that the university is strengthening partnerships with institutions within and outside Nigeria to boost its global relevance and visibility.

She commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his support to the institution, particularly in infrastructure development and the renovation of the university’s substation.

The Vice Chancellor expressed optimism about the future of the institution, stating her goal to position COOU among the top 10 universities in Nigeria by 2027.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) says it will review the exclusion of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) graduates from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Abdullahi Ribadu, executive secretary of NUC, said the move follows concerns raised by the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, chancellor of NOUN, over the “unequal” treatment of the open university’s graduates.

According to NAN, the traditional ruler called for policy changes to allow eligible graduates to serve, saying that current restrictions put them at a disadvantage.

Ribadu said the NUC will engage NYSC leadership to re-evaluate the mobilisation framework.

“I have heard the concerns of the Chancellor in his speech about the lack of mobilisation of NOUN graduates for the National Youth Service
Corps,” he said.

“I want to assure you, at NUC, we will engage with NYSC to see what policy changes can be made in order for NOUN graduates to be accommodated, because the dynamics have changed.”

The NUC boss said the initial policy reflected NOUN’s past student profile of working professionals above the service age limit, adding that the commission has now observed a shift to younger students.

“Unlike in the past, where graduates of NOUN are 30 years and above; in recent times, you have graduates of younger age, less than 30, who are likely to participate in the NYSC based on age,” he said.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has advised candidates and parents to report cases where qualified students with good UTME scores are denied admission despite meeting all requirements.

JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, made the call while stressing the transparency of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS).

“If you find anybody, if you are sure of yourself, you have a score, and this is the UTME score of my child, and you know that you ought to be admitted and you are not admitted, protest to us because CAPS has made everything easy,” Prof. Oloyede said.

The appeal aims to promote fairness and tackle irregularities in the 2026 admission process.

Affected candidates and parents are encouraged to promptly report such cases to JAMB with relevant details for necessary investigation.

This directive reinforces JAMB’s commitment to a merit-based admission system across Nigerian tertiary institutions.

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Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has approved over N1 billion to cover registration fees for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) for students across the state.

The initiative, announced on Tuesday in Jalingo, covers examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), according to government sources.

The intervention is aimed at removing financial barriers that have prevented many eligible students from sitting the crucial examinations.

Officials said the policy is designed to ease the burden on parents and guardians while expanding access to education for thousands of students across the state.

The state government noted that the move forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen the education sector and improve academic performance among young people.

Observers have described the development as a significant investment in human capital, with expectations that it will boost examination participation rates and support long-term educational advancement in the state.

Education stakeholders also said the initiative highlights the administration’s sustained commitment to making education a central pillar for development and youth empowerment in Taraba.

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Academic activities at Obafemi Awolowo University are set to be disrupted following a planned lecture boycott by students protesting changes to the institution’s transport system.

The action, scheduled to last for 72 hours from Tuesday, April 14 to Thursday, April 16, 2026, emerged after a series of meetings between student leaders and stakeholders over mobility challenges on campus.

The Students’ Union Government confirmed the decision after deliberations at a congress held on April 9, citing unresolved concerns linked to recent transportation reforms.

In a statement jointly signed by union president Adelani David and secretary-general Habeeb Oke, the leadership directed students to withdraw from all lectures during the protest period.

“The union shall embark on a total 72-hour lecture boycott starting from Tuesday, 14th April 2026, to Thursday, 16th April 2026. All academic activities are to be boycotted throughout this period,” the statement read.

The protest centres on the university’s transport restructuring, introduced after the donation of buses and tricycles intended to improve movement within the campus.

The initiative, supported by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, led to a policy restricting intra-campus transport operations to the newly provided vehicles.

However, students reported that the transition has created operational gaps, resulting in delays, overcrowding, and limited coverage across key routes.

The student union representatives stated that the current arrangement has reduced commuting efficiency, particularly during peak academic hours when demand is highest.

“The transportation system as presently operated has led to long queues, insufficient vehicles, and extended waiting times,” the union noted.

Students residing outside the campus were said to be among the most affected, as alternative transport options have become fewer and more costly.

The union also raised concerns about the exclusion of former commercial transport operators, which it said had previously complemented campus mobility.

Despite engagements with university management, students said proposed improvements had yet to materialise, with authorities describing the situation as a temporary adjustment phase.

The students also revealed that the institution’s management had reportedly assured that additional buses would be introduced over time to ease the pressure on the existing system.

Among the demands presented by the union are the immediate deployment of more vehicles, reinstatement of previous transport options pending improvements, and broader consultation with students on future policies.

The union added that it would reassess the situation at the end of the boycott and warned that further actions, including a mass protest, could follow if concerns remain unaddressed.

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially directed all candidates registered for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to begin printing their examination slips.

According to the announcement, candidates can now access and print their slips on the JAMB portal.

The slips contain vital information including examination date, time, venue, and centre.How to Print Your 2026 UTME Examination Slip:

Visit the official JAMB website: https://jamb.gov.ng or the slip printing portal.

Click on the 2026 UTME Slip Printing option.

Enter your JAMB registration number or required details.

Download and print your slip.

JAMB has warned candidates to disregard any fake notices about postponement of the examination, stressing that the 2026 UTME will hold as scheduled from Thursday, April 16 to Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Candidates are strongly advised to print their slips early and avoid relying on third parties or fraudsters promising score upgrades, as such activities attract severe sanctions including result cancellation.

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Ishaq Oloyede, registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), says parents and qualified candidates should protest against “admission bias” if they are confident in their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Admission (UTME) results.

In an interview with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) published on Tuesday, Oloyede urged candidates and guardians who are qualified but not admitted to their desired institutions to speak up.

“If you find anybody… if you are sure of yourself, you have the score, or this is the UTME score of my child; you know that you ought to be admitted, and you were not admitted, protest to us because CAPS has made everything easy,” he said.

“People are so daring — and the parents — because they have climbed the ladder to illegality, they believe there is no other way.

“I’ve seen many people who sent their children’s scores to me and asked what they could do. I tell them I will do nothing, and the candidate is admitted—and they thank me. I did nothing.”

Oloyede said that the central admission processing system (CAPS) is key to ensuring transparency, noting that there has been no reported problem with it since 2017.

He added that the system could manage admission without interference and errors.

Speaking on issues related to direct entry, the registrar pointed out that JAMB has strengthened its verification processes across various programmes, making it difficult for candidates to forge results.

“Since 2023, annually, the rates have gone down. Many people are no longer applying for direct entry because they know we are supervising thoroughly. And this year, we have caught 77, but we have done more prevention,” he said.

“JUPEB, IJMB, and all the rest… we check at the point of entry, and we’ve made it impossible for them to forge.”

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The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has released
the timetable for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination,
WASSCE, for school candidates

The timetable was published on WAEC’s X page on Monday.

According to the timetable, the examination will commence
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and end on Friday, June 19, 2026.

The examination will begin with Foods and Nutrition 3
(Practical) Planning Session and Home Management 3 (Practical) Planning
Session.

See timetable below:

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The Kingdom of Sweden and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in education, research and innovation, following a high-level diplomatic engagement at the university’s Enugu Campus.

Sweden’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Anna Westerholm, made the pledge during a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, describing the engagement as a continuation of over six decades of diplomatic and academic relations between Sweden and Nigeria.

Westerholm highlighted Sweden’s longstanding support for the Resource and Environmental Policy Research Centre and the Environment for Development initiative at UNN, noting that the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to research-driven policy and sustainable development.

She emphasised that Sweden’s national model of free and inclusive education through the tertiary level has been central to its human capital development strategy and economic transformation.
According to the ambassador, sustainable national growth is unattainable without consistent investment in education and youth empowerment.

She disclosed that her delegation included Swedish industry leaders ready to support institutional reforms, particularly in digital transformation, entrepreneurship development and technology-driven innovation.

Commending the Enugu State Government’s allocation of 30 percent of its annual budget to education, Westerholm described the state as an emerging innovation hub.

She noted that the momentum witnessed at the recent Enugu Tech Festival aligns closely with Sweden’s innovation-led development model.

In his response, Professor Ortuanya described UNN as Nigeria’s first indigenous university, established with a mandate to produce globally competitive and innovative graduates across disciplines.

He welcomed deeper collaboration with Sweden across multiple academic fields and called for expanded exchange programmes for students and faculty.

While acknowledging environmental sustainability and climate research as priority areas, the vice chancellor stressed that accelerated development in the 21st century demands strategic investment in engineering, computing, robotics and artificial intelligence.

A key highlight of the visit was a technical presentation by Swedish industry representatives outlining proposals to fully digitalise university records and strengthen entrepreneurship education through structured digital skills training aimed at promoting self-employment and job creation.

The engagement builds on earlier discussions initiated in August 2025 by a Swedish delegation led by Fredrik Ahsberg, Head of Political and Trade Section at the Swedish Embassy.

Director of International Collaborations at UNN, Dr. Kelechi Nnamani, described the visit as evidence of growing international confidence in the university’s research capacity, governance stability and innovation relevance, noting that the next phase will focus on delivering measurable outcomes.