Industrialist Aliko Dangote, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, has pledged ₦600m towards the construction of a girls’ hostel at Lagos State University and offered employment opportunities to first-class graduates in engineering and sciences; the university management has disclosed.
The commitments were announced on LASU’s Facebook page on Friday.
Dangote made the pledge during the combined 29th and 30th Convocation Ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
Dangote, who was represented at the ceremony by his daughter, Hajia Fatima Aliko Dangote, was also honoured with an Honorary Doctor of Business Honoris Causa in Entrepreneurship, Industrial and Human Capital Development.
According to the university management, the foundation pledged the funds to support the construction of accommodation for female students.
It also disclosed that first-class graduates in engineering and sciences from the graduating classes would receive preferential consideration for employment with the Dangote Group after completing their National Youth Service Corps programme.
The university said, “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 was part of the commitments made towards student welfare, academic excellence and graduate opportunities during the combined convocation.
The Dangote Group currently employs more than 52,000 people across Nigeria and 11 other African countries, while the Dangote Academy provides practical training for graduates entering the industrial sector, according to information presented at the ceremony.
The Aliko Dangote Foundation also runs an education scholarship programme and plans to invest $70m annually over the next 10 years in secondary and tertiary education, teacher training, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as technical and vocational education.
The announcement came as LASU celebrated 20,604 graduates across the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, including 494 first-class graduates.
The university had earlier announced Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management as the overall best graduating student for the 2024/2025 session, with a CGPA of 4.96.
For the 2025/2026 academic session, Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering emerged as the overall best graduating student, recording a CGPA of 4.97. Both graduated with first-class honours.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, had disclosed that 262 students obtained First Class honours in the 2024/2025 academic session, while 232 achieved the feat in 2025/2026.
The Dangote Foundation’s intervention was announced alongside a reward for academic excellence by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The governor donated ₦20m each to the two overall best graduating students of the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
Sanwo-Olu, in his final convocation address as the Visitor to LASU, congratulated the graduates, their parents, sponsors and lecturers.
He also highlighted his administration’s investment in the university, including the construction and commissioning of the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu Library Complex, lecture theatres, halls and student accommodation.
The university has also expanded its accommodation capacity, while more than 50 infrastructure projects have been executed through funding from the Lagos State Government, the Federal Government, TETFund, private-sector contributions and internally generated revenue.
Dangote was among three prominent Nigerians honoured with honorary doctorate degrees at the convocation.
The university also honoured Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, and Harriet-Ann Omobola (Bola) Adesola for their contributions to leadership, business, and societal development.
The Chancellor of LASU, Oba Dr Olufolarin Olukayode Ogunsanwo, Telade IV, described the convocation as a moment of joy, humility, and gratitude.
He commended the Lagos State Government for its continued support for the university and its commitment to education, human-capital development, technology and infrastructure.
Credit: punchng.com
