The Ogbomoso University: Be a partner or investor, as project enters crucial stage, important stakeholders' meeting for Saturday

The Ogbomoso University: Be a partner or investor, as project enters crucial stage, important stakeholders’ meeting for Saturday

Yinka ADETUNJI

The Ogbomoso University frantically seeks a sum of N1.5b to remain in contention for approval by the NUC

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The dream of a private university owned by the people of Ogbomoso in Oyo state has entered a crucial stage, which could make or mar its realization, or at least put off the start date by some six years in the minimum.

According to a statement by the promoter of the legacy institution, Ogbomoso Academics, at least a sum of N1.5b (one billion five hundred million naira) is needed to successfully host the second verification visit by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

“All active applications awaiting second Verification Visit are required to formally request the visit within one hundred and eighty (180) days (six months) of receiving a letter dated May 26th, 2026, failing which such applications shall be classified as inactive/dormant,” the NUC states in a correspondence.

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NUC adds, “All active applications awaiting Confirmation Visit are required to formally request the visit within ninety (90) days of receiving such letter, subject to the evidence of payment of the prescribed Confirmation Visit fee of N10 million. Failure to comply shall result in the application being classified as inactive/dormant.”

To beat this deadline in the face of the urgent need to raise the N1.5b for the facilitation of the verification visit, a town hall/fund raising meeting with stakeholders has been scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, 10am prompt at Royal Crown Hotel, along Old Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road, LAUTECH Area Ogbomoso.

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ogbomosoinsightonline.com was informed that the proposed interface with stakeholders became imperative in order to sensitize the people and solicit for financial assistance.

According to a statement by Prof Misbaudeen Abdul-Hammed, a spokesman for the group, the way forward to the progress/final success of The Ogbomoso University Project is raising the required fund urgently, adding as university professors promoting the project, coming up with such amount is way beyond them. “Hence the need for members of the community to come in, as we are to communicate the NUC whether we are ready for the second visit or not,” Prof Abdul-Hammed said.

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He disclosed failure to meet up with the deadline would imply a delay of about six years in the face of the embargo on establishment of private universities in the country, saying they narrowly beat that earlier.

“If we are not ready, the project may have to wait till the next 6 years, due to the moratorium/ban on the establishment of new private universities in Nigeria, the hurdle we have overcome earlier.”

The university don therefore called on “representatives of sociocultural groups, churches, mosques/ Islamic organizations, Isese groups, cooperative unions, trade organizations, philanthropists, politicians, individuals, people in the diaspora, those who have donated/contributed to the TOU project so far and those who wish to be partakers, to join the train. It will be a worthwhile venture.”

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He further hammered, “We cannot fail at this point, we are hereby inviting everyone to a town hall/fund raising meeting of The Ogbomoso University this Saturday.”

Prof Abdul-Hammed noted that it is a dear project, an Ogbomoso initiative, envisioned to expand access to university education, create jobs and boost the economy of the city.

Ogbomoso Insight Online learned two categories of interventionists are envisaged – financial partners, N1, 000, N2, 000, N50, 000, N100, 000, N1m etc, who will be able to tell their descendants in the future they made financial contributions to the legacy project, they will be co-owners; and then the investors, those who would have financial stakes, shareholders, and who would have the chance to be in the BOT (depending on their level of investments).

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“The joy is that Ogbomoso has a community-owned private university, the first of its kind in the country. The advantages are enormous,” Abdul-Hammed harped.

The University is planned to be multi-campus, across the five local governments in Ogbomosoland.