By Ahaotu Ikenna Henry

The Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, Oferekpe, has revealed plans to launch new academic programmes in the forthcoming 2025/2026 session.

This was disclosed by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Engr. Prof. Ernest Ituma Egba, who recently received a letter of approval of the new courses by the National Universities Commission, NUC.

The Vice Chancellor, who expressed happiness over the letter, signed by NUC’s Acting Director of Academic, Abubakar M. Girei, emphasized that the university has left no stone unturned in ensuring that the human and material resources needed for a sustained running of the courses are in place.   

Speaking further, Prof. Egba acknowledged the support of the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, in the efforts made by the school to be a flagship ICT university in the country. “…we appreciate that the Governor understands the importance of quality staff, adequate teaching/learning facilities and structures and he has not relented in giving us the needed financial and moral support. Interestingly, our university, so far, boasts of a good number of high-quality teaching staff who are well trained locally and abroad and we believe their experiences and expertise will rub off on our students,” he said.

The courses approved by the NUC for the university include: B.Sc. Computer Science, B.Sc. Data Sciences, B.Sc. Software Engineering, B.Sc. Cyber Security, B.Sc. Information and Communication Technology, B.Sc. Information System, B.Sc. Information Technology, B.Sc. Human Nutrition and Dietetics, HIM Health Information Management, B.Eng. Civil Engineering, B.Eng. Computer Engineering, and B.Eng. Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Others are: B.Sc. Mass Communication, B.Sc. Accounting, B.Sc. Economics, B.Sc. Entrepreneurship, B.Sc. Architecture, B.Sc. Building, B.Sc. Surveying and Geoinformatics, and B.Sc. Quantity Surveying.

A statement released by the Acting Registrar of the institution, Dr. Chukwu Eze-Obia, urged prospective candidates seeking university admission, with cut-off mark of 150 in the 2025 JAMB, to apply for any of the newly approved courses of their choice, by changing their first choice to the university.

“Prospective candidates are invited to seize this moment to avail themselves the opportunity to enrol into this flagship ICT-driven university in this 2025/2026 academic session by going to JAMB CAPS and formally choosing the school as their first choice. Further details are in the university website: www.uicto.edu.ng.”

The Vice-Chancellor reiterated that the university was committed to ensuring that it increases access to higher education, especially with regard to ICT, science and technology.

“The university is poised to provide students with access to high-quality education in ICT, science and technology, to develop their skills and knowledge and equip them well to play and compete favourably in the fast-paced global digital space. We want to produce young people who have the capacity to address the ICT, science and technological needs of the global society,” he said.

In terms of infrastructure, Prof Egba said the state government has injected adequate funds into the construction of strategic buildings on the university campus at Oferekpe, Agbaja, Izzi LGA of Ebonyi State.

“I can confirm to you that with adequate funding from the Governor, most critical structures such as the faculty buildings, university library, senate building, students’ hostels, staff quarters, etc, are either ready or are at various stages of completion,” he stated.

The Ebonyi State University of ICT, Science and Technology, was officially approved by the NUC on 23rd January, 2025, as the 66th state university in Nigeria and 278th university in the Nigerian university system. The vision of the school is to be a leading ICT-driven institution that would provide world-class education and research and also produce highly skilled and enterprising graduates equipped to build a sustainable global society.