Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has offered employment opportunities to first-class Engineering and Science graduates of Lagos State University and pledged ₦600 million towards a girls’ hostel at the university in Ojo, Lagos, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

The commitments were announced during LASU’s combined 29th and 30th Convocation Ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, where Dangote was represented by his daughter, Hajia Fatima Aliko Dangote.

Also read: Sanwo-Olu rewards LASU’s top graduates with ₦20m each

The industrialist was also conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Business Honoris Causa for Entrepreneurship, Industrial and Human Capital Development.

The pledge provides a significant boost for female students, with the Aliko Dangote Foundation committing the funds towards additional accommodation.

At the same time, the employment offer creates a direct pathway into the private sector for some of the university’s highest-performing graduates.

LASU said first-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences from the graduating classes would receive preferential consideration for employment with Dangote Group after completing the National Youth Service Corps programme.

“First-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences from the graduating class would receive preferential consideration for employment with the Dangote Group after completing their National Youth Service Corps programme,” the university said.

The announcement came as LASU celebrated 20,604 graduates from the two academic sessions. The university recorded 494 first-class graduates, comprising 262 from the 2024/2025 session and 232 from 2025/2026.

For the university, the intervention adds a practical dimension to its emphasis on academic excellence.

The offer means some graduates will have an opportunity to move from academic achievement into professional careers with one of Nigeria’s largest industrial groups.

The two overall best graduating students also received recognition during the convocation.

Ayilara Lawal Olawale, from the Department of Project Management, finished the 2024/2025 session with a CGPA of 4.96, while Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of Aerospace Engineering recorded 4.97 for the 2025/2026 session. Both graduated with First Class honours.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu subsequently announced ₦20 million for each of the two best graduating students, adding another notable reward for academic performance during the ceremonies.

Dangote’s intervention also comes against the backdrop of wider efforts by LASU to expand student facilities.

The university has been developing additional accommodation and other infrastructure as part of a broader investment programme.

LASU’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, said the university had overseen more than 50 infrastructure projects during her tenure, including student accommodation and major academic facilities.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation’s education work extends beyond the latest LASU pledge.

Information presented at the convocation indicated that the foundation operates an education scholarship programme and plans to invest $70 million annually over the next decade in secondary and tertiary education, teacher training, STEM education and technical and vocational education.

The Dangote Group, meanwhile, employs more than 52,000 people across Nigeria and 11 other African countries, while the Dangote Academy provides practical training for graduates seeking entry into the industrial sector, according to information presented at the ceremony.

The employment commitment therefore places particular emphasis on connecting university education with industry.

For first-class graduates in technical disciplines, the prospect of consideration by a major industrial employer could provide a valuable bridge between academic achievement and the workplace.

The combined convocation also marked a significant moment for LASU, with the university honouring Dangote alongside Akin Kekere-Ekun and Harriet-Ann Omobola Bola Adesola for their contributions to business, leadership and societal development.

For the graduating students, the ceremonies offered more than a formal conclusion to their university years.

Also read: Sanwo-Olu rewards LASU’s top graduates with ₦20m each

The Dangote offers to LASU graduates, together with the ₦600 million hostel pledge, placed career opportunity and student welfare firmly at the centre of a celebration of academic achievement.