Group President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced a landmark donation of N15 billion to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil, Kano State.
Mr. Dangote, who also chairs the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), was reappointed as Chancellor of the university. Speaking at the 5th convocation ceremony, he emphasized the need to reposition the institution to become a leader in cutting-edge research and the production of highly skilled manpower tailored to industry demands and real-world challenges in Nigeria.
He stated:
“It is in this vein that I wish to announce the launch of a 5-year Development Plan for this institution. Over the next five years, we will commit N15 billion to key projects, including the design and construction of additional student hostels, a world-class engineering laboratory, and a multipurpose computer lab accessible to all students and equipped with 24-hour internet connectivity to support academic research.”
He further added:
“We will also install a mini-solar power plant to ensure stable electricity on campus. Additionally, we will construct a befitting Senate building to house the university’s administration. Finally, we will reserve post-NYSC employment slots for the best-performing graduates in Engineering and related fields at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Petrochemical Plant, and Dangote Cement Plants.”
Dangote noted that sustaining such an institution requires substantial investment, which is why the Foundation had earlier intervened by settling the university’s electricity bills to ease financial pressures.
“To support the university’s infrastructure, we also built two hostels—one each for male and female students—with 500-bed capacities. We ensured stable power supply through the connection to a 33KVA line, the provision of a 2.5 MVA transformer, and six step-down transformers. This has greatly improved the university’s energy situation,” he added.
He congratulated the visionaries who founded the institution 25 years ago, noting its remarkable growth.
“From a modest beginning with just 88 students, the university now has over 21,877 students. Today’s combined convocation celebrates about 18,000 graduates—a significant milestone.”
Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State commended Dangote for his enduring contributions to the development of the university, describing him as “a visionary and an illustrious African industrialist.”
Vice Chancellor Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai revealed that the 18,000 graduates being honored at the convocation represent the university’s output over the past decade. He highlighted recent achievements, including full program accreditations and a notable innovation—a digital mathematical model for measuring deforestation density, developed by a student, Mahmoud Mubarak.
Honorary doctorate degrees were conferred on notable figures, including business mogul Chief Arthur Eze, Max Air founder Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate Al-Mustapha Ado, founder of Amasco Oil.
