The University of Benin has received approval from the National Universities Commission for six new full time programmes spanning undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with all courses taking effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.

The approval followed a successful resource assessment of proposed courses at the institution, according to a statement released on Sunday by the university's Public Relations Officer, Dr Benedicta Ehanire.

Two of the newly approved undergraduate programmes are targeted directly at closing a critical skills gap in Nigeria's healthcare sector. The Bachelor's in Speech Language Therapy and the Bachelor's in Occupational Therapy were identified as deliberate responses to the policy initiative of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who has pushed for the training of skilled manpower in both disciplines. "These programmes manifest the efforts by the university to pioneer the policy initiative of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on the need to train skilled manpower in the two fields of study, to address the dearth of experts in the disciplines in the country's healthcare sector," the statement read.

The remaining undergraduate approvals cover a broader range of disciplines. The NUC gave the green light for a B.Sc in International Relations, a B.Sc in Intelligence and Security Studies, a B.Ed in Primary Education, and a B.N.Sc in Nursing Science, the last of which will be run in collaboration with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

At the postgraduate level, the university's Centre of Excellence in Space Science Technology and Application will now offer Master's and PhD degrees in Remote Sensing and Aeronautics Engineering, extending the institution's footprint into specialised scientific research.

Vice Chancellor Prof Edoba Omoregie (SAN) welcomed the approvals and reaffirmed the institution's commitment to academic expansion. "We appreciate NUC for the approval of the courses, and the institution will sustain its leading position as a first rate manpower training and development hub," he stated.

The new programmes reflect a broader push by the university to diversify its academic offerings while responding to national priorities in healthcare, security and space science.