Lagos State University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in Lagos, announced that 494 LASU first-class graduates are among 20,604 students preparing to receive degrees and other qualifications at the university’s 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies.
Olatunji-Bello disclosed the figures during a press conference at the university as LASU prepares to celebrate graduands from the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
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The 494 first-class graduates comprise 262 students from the 2024/2025 session and 232 from the 2025/2026 session.
For the 2024/2025 academic session, 7,621 students completed first-degree programmes.
The breakdown included 3,155 Second Class Upper graduates, 3,439 Second Class Lower graduates, 622 Third Class graduates and 37 students who graduated with passes.
A further 106 students in the MBBS and BDS programmes were classified as unclassified degrees.
The following academic session produced 8,653 first-degree graduates.
Of that number, 3,545 earned Second Class Upper honours, 4,157 obtained Second Class Lower honours, 678 finished with Third Class and 31 graduated with passes.
Beyond undergraduate programmes, LASU will graduate 3,383 postgraduate students across the two academic sessions.
The figure includes 618 Postgraduate Diploma graduates, 1,508 academic Master’s graduates, 900 professional Master’s graduates, 238 PhD graduates and 119 professional doctoral graduates.
Among the standout academic performers are Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management and Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
Olawale emerged as the overall best graduating student for 2024/2025 with a CGPA of 4.96 and First Class honours, while Adebanjo topped the 2025/2026 session with a CGPA of 4.97 and First Class honours.
The scale of the graduation reflects LASU’s growing academic footprint.
The university’s official convocation programme confirms that the combined ceremonies cover the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 sessions and run from August 12 to August 23, 2026.
The main degree ceremonies will take place on August 17 at the Olatunji Bello Auditorium, Epe Campus, for Engineering and Agricultural Sciences, while graduands from other faculties will receive their awards on August 18 at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, Ojo.
Doctoral degrees and honorary doctorates will follow on August 19.
For Olatunji-Bello, the combined convocation carries particular significance because it will be the final convocation she presides over as vice-chancellor.
“This is the final convocation I will preside over as the Vice-Chancellor of the university,” Olatunji-Bello said while outlining the programme and achievements of her administration.
The university is also using the occasion to recognise contributions beyond its graduating classes. LASU’s Senate has approved honorary doctorates for Akin Kekere-Ekun, Harriet-Ann Omobola Adesola and Aliko Dangote for contributions spanning entrepreneurship, corporate governance, industrial development, scholarship and public service.
Two scholars, Prof. Rafiu Olaoluwa Okuneye and Olatunji-Bello, are also expected to be elevated to the rank of Distinguished Professor.
The convocation comes as LASU highlights several developments recorded during the past year.
According to Olatunji-Bello, the National Universities Commission approved 17 new academic programmes, while LASU attracted more than 84,000 first-choice applications in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, making it the most subscribed university in Nigeria for the second consecutive year.
The university has also pointed to its growing emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Two LASU students won consecutive N50 million venture capital grants in 2026 in a national competition that attracted more than 30,000 applicants.
LASU has additionally secured approval for a N3 billion TETFund Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cyber Sciences, while construction has begun on a 1,500-bed student hostel estimated at N4 billion.
The university’s official website describes LASU as being committed to teaching, research and service to humanity, while positioning research, innovation and development as key areas of its institutional mission.
The combined convocation will therefore serve not only as a celebration of thousands of graduates but also as a significant moment for an institution seeking to strengthen its position in academic excellence, innovation and professional development.
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With 494 students achieving first-class honours and more than 20,000 students receiving qualifications across multiple levels, the ceremony represents a remarkable milestone for the university and its graduating community.
