The Federal University of Technology, Owerri, will confer degrees on 3,358 students at its 38th Convocation Ceremony on Saturday, June 6, 2026, as outgoing Vice Chancellor Prof. Nnenna N. Oti prepares to end her tenure as the Institution's eighth substantive head.

Of the total graduating cohort, 3,061 students will receive first degrees, while 297 candidates will be awarded higher degrees and postgraduate diplomas.

Speaking at a Pre Convocation press briefing held at the Council Chamber on Tuesday, Prof. Oti described the ceremony as deeply personal.

"This particular convocation holds something unique for me because it is holding as part of my end of tenure activities and offers me the opportunity to render my final account as I bow out as the 8th substantive Vice Chancellor of this great Institution," she stated.

The overall best graduating student for the 2024/2025 academic session is Onyeka Remigius Chinecherem of the Department of Optometry, who recorded a CGPA of 4.91 on a scale of 5.0.

Three distinguished Nigerians will also receive honorary doctorate degrees at the ceremony. They are the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR; Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Brittania U Nigeria Limited, Barr. Mrs. Catherine Uju Ifejika, OFR; and Founder and CEO of MRS Holdings Limited, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata.

Reviewing her administration's record, Prof. Oti disclosed that FUTO's national ranking climbed from 34th to 11th in Nigeria according to the Times Higher Education World University Ranking Agency, with graduates ranked second on the National Employability Index.

The university secured 11 National Research Fund grants worth N256 million in 2024 and received 36 NRF awards within five years. Fully accredited programmes grew from 45 to 66, and 17 new academic programmes were established during her tenure.

On infrastructure, Prof. Oti revealed that investments exceeding N150 billion were attracted from the Federal Government, TETFund, NDDC, alumni, and development partners. The FUTO Africa Centre of Excellence in Future Energies and Electrochemical Systems attracted funding valued at 6 million dollars and additional grants exceeding £1 million.

She further confirmed that the University now operates on 24 hour uninterrupted power supply following the completion of the Energizing Education Programme Phase III Project and installation of a 63MVA Mobile Substation.

"Transcript processing time was reduced from three to six months to less than two weeks, while processing efficiency now stands at 98%," she added.