Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
THE University of Ibadan (UI) has released the official programme of events for its 2026 Convocation and Foundation Day Ceremonies, scheduled to hold from Tuesday, 3 November to Tuesday, 17 November 2026.
The detailed itinerary, contained in a Special Release of the University of Ibadan Bulletin dated 20 October 2026, outlines a comprehensive two-week schedule featuring academic, entrepreneurial, and cultural activities.
The events will commence on Tuesday, 3 November with the opening day of the SME Fair at the International Conference Centre. The fair, which runs until Wednesday, 4 November, is themed “Scaling Emerging SMEs for Global Impact: From Innovation to Sustainable Growth.” It will feature keynote addresses from Mr Kingley Aigbokhaevbo, Deputy Managing Director of Providus/Unity Bank, and Professor Ruth O. Adio-Moses of the Department of Peace, Security and Humanitarian Studies.
On Thursday, 5 November, the focus will shift to the Career Fair 2026, themed “From Lecture Halls to Boardrooms: Preparing UI Graduates for The Workplace,” with Dr Jeff Bordes, CEO of Astria Learning, delivering the keynote address.
The weekend will feature spiritual and cultural engagements, with a Jumat Service at the UI Mosque on Friday, 6 November, followed by a Night of Music at Trenchard Hall on Sunday, 8 November.
Activities resume on Monday, 9 November with the UI-RF event focusing on advancing adolescents and youth health in Africa, featuring Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako, former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, as the keynote speaker. A Health Rally and the University of Ibadan Convocation Exhibition are scheduled for Tuesday, 10 November.
The core convocation ceremonies will commence on Wednesday, 11 November, with the admission to first degrees for students in the Arts, Science, Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Public Health, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Pharm. Olayemi Oladiran, Chief Operating Officer of Groupe Ethica, will deliver the commencement speech. The day will also feature the Convocation Lecture I titled “Funding, Freedom and the Future of the Nigerian University,” to be delivered by Dr Olayiwola F. Fatona, Chairman of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
The ceremonies will continue over the following days, with Day 2 on Thursday, 12 November, featuring first-degree admissions for Agriculture, Social Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Technology, Law, Economics, and Management Sciences, among others. Mr Kayode Aloyinlapa, Founder of Askiariot Homes Ltd, will be the commencement speaker.
Day 3, on Friday, 13 November, will see admissions for the Faculties of Education, and Environmental Design and Management, with Mr Folajimi Olamibo Fakoya, CEO of EdutechPortals Solutions, delivering the address.
Saturday, 14 November, marks Day 4, dedicated to the award of Postgraduate Diplomas and admission to Higher Degrees (Master’s and M.Phil). The evening will feature a Command Performance of Twingle Twingle: A Twynning Tayle by Femi Osofisan, directed by Olusegun Michael Olabode, at the Wole Soyinka Theatre, strictly for invited guests.
The Foundation Day Service will be held on Sunday, 15 November at The Chapel of the Resurrection.
The programme advances into the final week with Day 5 on Monday, 16 November, featuring admissions for Doctorate and Master’s degrees across various faculties, including PAULESI. A highlight of the day will be Convocation Lecture II, titled “The Enduring Promise of Nigeria-Sierra Leone Relations: From Shared Origins to Shared Prosperity,” to be delivered by His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, the Honourable Vice President of Sierra Leone.
The grand finale, Day 6, scheduled for Tuesday, 17 November, will feature the Conferment of Honorary Degrees (Doctor of Science – Honoris Causa) on Mr Kingsley U. Aigbokhaevbo of Providus Bank and Dr Olusola Adejoke David-Borha, Chairman of Stanbic IBTC Holdings. The day will also include admission to higher degrees (Doctorate) and the Doctor of Medicine.
The Registrar of the University, G. O. Saliiu, JP, fspsp, FNIM, FCIML, MANUPA, MAUA (UK), signed the release.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the university has continued to garner international acclaim. The latest release of the AD Scientific Index, refreshed on 01 October 2026, ranked the University of Ibadan 889th out of nearly 19,800 universities worldwide. This places the institution in the top 4.5 per cent globally and makes it the only Nigerian university within the global top 1,000.
Announcing the ranking, Professor Peter A. Okebukola, Chairman of the Nigerian Tertiary Education Ranking Advisory Committee (NiTERAC), described the feat as another triumph for Nigerian universities.
The index further revealed that the university improved its world position by 15 places between mid-August and 01 October 2026, solidifying its status as the flagship of tertiary education in Nigeria.
