Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Africa’s richest businessman, Aliko Dangote, has pledged ₦600 million towards the construction of a female students’ hostel at Lagos State University and offered employment opportunities to first-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences.
The commitments were announced during LASU’s combined 29th and 30th Convocation Ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
Dangote, who was represented by his daughter, Hajia Fatima Aliko Dangote, was also conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Business Honoris Causa in Entrepreneurship, Industrial and Human Capital Development.
According to the university, the Aliko Dangote Foundation will support the construction of accommodation for female students as part of efforts to improve student welfare and strengthen educational development.
LASU also disclosed that first-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences would receive preferential consideration for employment within the Dangote Group after completing the National Youth Service Corps programme.
The university stated, “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 intervention formed part of broader initiatives aimed at promoting academic excellence, graduate employability and access to quality education.
The convocation ceremony celebrated 20,604 graduates from the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, including 494 first-class graduates.
For the 2024/2025 session, Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management emerged as the overall best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.96, while Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering recorded a CGPA of 4.97 to emerge as the overall best graduating student for the 2025/2026 session.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also rewarded academic excellence by donating ₦20 million each to the two overall best graduating students.
Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, revealed that 262 students earned First Class honours in the 2024/2025 session, while 232 achieved the feat in the 2025/2026 session.
The university further honoured Dangote, former Chief Justice of Nigeria Akin Kekere-Ekun, and business executive Harriet-Ann Omobola Adesola with honorary doctorate degrees in recognition of their contributions to leadership, business development and national growth.
