ABUJA, FCT– The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have actually relocated to bridge the gap in between academia and the energy market with the facility of a joint tactical committee.
The partnership, revealed on Saturday, March 14, 2026, intends to birth a groundbreaking Centre of Excellence dedicated to practical engineering and technology-driven research study.
The cooperation was strengthened throughout a top-level conference at the NNPC Towers in Abuja last Wednesday, led by the Vice-Chancellor of UNILORIN, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, SAN, and the NNPCL Managing Director/CEO, Bashir Bayo Ojulari.
A main focus of the partnership is the proposed facility of a Centre of Excellence at the University of Ilorin. If settled, the center is anticipated to be the first of its kind in West Africa, concentrating on the practical application of engineering theories to resolve real-world energy challenges.
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To guarantee continual scholastic focus on the energy sector, the meeting checked out developing an NNPCL Professorial Chair at the university.
This function is meant to synchronise the academic curriculum with present industry patterns, ensuring that graduates are equipped with market-ready abilities.
The freshly formed committee has actually been given a four-week deadline to improve the technical information, moneying structures, and functional structure of the collaboration.
The collaboration is considered as a strategic move to minimize Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technical know-how in the petroleum sector.
By buying indigenous research and advanced engineering centers, NNPCL and UNILORIN objective to drive a “knowledge-led” improvement of the Nigerian energy market.
Kunle Akogun, the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, kept in mind that the existence of high-ranking officials from both the administrative and engineering faculties highlights the university’s holistic commitment to the success of the project.