VC lists welfare reforms, clears staff allowance backlogs at MAU, Yola
The Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Professor Ibrahim Umar, has declared that no staff member of the institution is currently owed any legitimate entitlement.
Professor Umar made the disclosure during a pre-convocation press conference held at the university’s Senate Chamber in Yola, ahead of the institution’s 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremony.
He announced that the convocation will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the Convocation Square of the university’s main campus, where certificates will be awarded to graduands from the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, 2,034 first-degree graduands will receive degrees for the 2023/2024 session. This includes 55 first-class graduates, 599 second-class upper, 1,047 second-class lower, 330 third-class and three pass degree holders. For the 2024/2025 academic session, 3,573 first-degree graduands will be presented with certificates, comprising 61 first-class, 1,199 second-class upper, 1,931 second-class lower, 479 third-class and three pass degree holders.
He said the combined total number of graduands for both sessions, covering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees as well as diplomas and certificates, stands at 7,094. Of this number, 5,707 are undergraduate degree recipients, 454 are diploma and certificate holders, while 933 are postgraduate graduands.
Professor Umar further disclosed that a pre-convocation lecture will be delivered on Friday, January 30, 2026, by the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Kashere, Gombe State, Professor Umaru A. Pate. The lecture, titled “Building Trust Amidst Conflict: Communication, Leadership and the Promise of Peaceful Coexistence in Nigeria,” will hold at Lecture Theatre One, College of Medical Sciences, main campus, by 4:00 pm.
Reflecting on his first year in office, the Vice-Chancellor highlighted several achievements focused on staff and student welfare, academic development and institutional expansion. He said the university has established additional academic departments, directorates and units, while also updating curricula and expanding access to inclusive and quality tertiary education.
He announced that the university admitted its first set of students into Sociology, Political Science, Nursing and Law programmes for the 2025/2026 academic session, following successful resource verification conducted in December 2024. He added that the institution is awaiting accreditation approval from the National Universities Commission for the Departments of Banking and Finance, Civil Engineering, Building and Business Education, following an accreditation exercise carried out in November 2025.
Professor Umar also revealed that the university has secured approval for 20 new academic programmes presented to the NUC for resource verification and ready for immediate take-off. These include programmes in the arts, sciences, computing, environmental studies, communication, education and postgraduate studies.
On international collaboration, he said the university has entered into partnerships with the Universities of Maroua, Garoua and Ngaoundere in the Republic of Cameroon, with some Cameroonian students already enrolled in postgraduate programmes at the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor stated that all backlogs of staff allowances, including academic, earned and promotion-related allowances, have been cleared. He added that the university has introduced interest-free loans and burial support for families of staff who die in active service as part of its welfare policy.
He noted that 185 teaching and non-teaching staff have benefitted from TETFund-sponsored local and international training programmes, while others are currently undergoing capacity-building initiatives. He also said several faculty buildings and departments have been renovated, modern equipment procured, and utility vehicles refurbished and distributed to units across the university.
Professor Umar expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his support to the institution, as well as Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, for his assistance. He also thanked security agencies for their continued support and appealed to the Federal Government to assist in fencing the entire university perimeter.