Kogiflame
The Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, has applauded the KU8+ Consortium as a trailblazing model of collaboration among Nigerian universities, calling it a timely response to the evolving challenges in the country’s higher education sector.
Speaking at the opening of the 3rd KU8+ Consortium International Conference hosted by Kwara State University, Malete, recently, Professor Ribadu, who was represented by Professor Adebola Babatunde Ekanola, said the initiative reflects the type of forward-thinking needed in Nigerian universities today.
“In an era marked by limited funding and fast-paced technological disruptions, universities must re-examine their foundational values. KU8+ demonstrates how strategic collaboration can drive innovation and national transformation,” he stated.
He added that the NUC looks forward to learning from the outcomes of the consortium’s academic and research partnerships, especially in shaping graduates with the capacity to revamp the economy.
The KU8+ Consortium, a network of select universities, was lauded throughout the conference for its mission of promoting innovation and sustainability through shared resources and academic synergy.
Representing the Kwara State Government, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, expressed pride in the state’s support for the initiative. “The KU8+ Consortium is proof that collaboration breeds excellence. Our government remains committed to educational growth in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” she said.
Chairman of the occasion and Pro-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, described the emergence of the consortium as a reflection of Kwara’s growing status as a centre for intellectual and human capital development.
Also speaking, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin and Chief Host of the conference, Professor Wahab Egbewole, SAN, underscored the power of partnerships in academic advancement.
“No university can thrive in isolation. For us to develop as a nation, we must collaborate in teaching, research, innovation and community service,” he said, highlighting the foundational goals of the KU8+ Consortium.
The host Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shaykh-Luqman Alade Jimoh, reaffirmed the consortium’s commitment to innovation and societal development, saying the conference theme, Innovation and Sustainability of Higher Education in a Changing World, aligned with KU8+’s long-term vision.
Keynote papers were presented by Professor Olutayo C. Adesina of the University of Ibadan and University of Manchester, and Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola, former Vice-Chancellor of Chrisland University.
Professor Adesina urged the consortium to deepen its impact at the local level before expanding regionally. “We must embed the ‘Think and Do’ approach in our education system to create structural opportunities and add local value,” he said.
On her part, Professor Babalola stressed the importance of grooming graduates who can offer real solutions to societal problems, noting that relevance and responsiveness should define the future of Nigerian higher education.
The conference drew participants from across Nigerian universities, all united in the call to reimagine higher education through collaboration, innovation and sustainable development.
