Industrialist, Dr. Aliko Dangote, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, has pledged N600m towards the construction of a girls’ hostel at Lagos State University (LASU) and offered employment opportunities to first-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences.
The university disclosed the commitments on its Facebook page on Friday, saying they were announced during its combined 29th and 30th Convocation Ceremonies for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
Dangote, who was represented at the ceremony by his daughter, Hajia Fatima Aliko Dangote, was also conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Business Honoris Causa in Entrepreneurship, Industrial and Human Capital Development.
According to the university, the Aliko Dangote Foundation pledged N600m to support the construction of accommodation for female students as part of its intervention in student welfare.
The university also said first-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences from the two graduating cohorts would receive preferential consideration for employment with the Dangote Group after completing their National Youth Service Corps programme.
“First-class graduates in Engineering and Sciences from the graduating class would receive preferential consideration for employment with the Dangote Group after completing their National Youth Service Corps programme,” the university said.
The commitments formed part of initiatives announced during the convocation to promote student welfare, academic excellence and employment opportunities for graduates.
The Dangote Group currently employs more than 52,000 people in Nigeria and 11 other African countries, while the Dangote Academy provides practical training for graduates seeking careers in the industrial sector, according to information presented at the ceremony.
The Aliko Dangote Foundation also operates an education scholarship programme and plans to invest $70m annually over the next decade in secondary and tertiary education, teacher training, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as well as technical and vocational education.
LASU Produces 494 First-Class Graduates
The announcements came as LASU celebrated 20,604 graduates from the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions, including 494 first-class graduates.
For the 2024/2025 session, Ayilara Lawal Olawale of the Department of Project Management emerged as the university’s overall best graduating student with a CGPA of 4.96.
Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide of the Department of Aerospace Engineering was named the overall best graduating student for the 2025/2026 session after recording a CGPA of 4.97.
Both graduates finished with First Class honours.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, disclosed that 262 students obtained First Class honours in the 2024/2025 academic session, while 232 achieved the same feat in 2025/2026.
Sanwo-Olu Rewards Best Graduating Students
The Dangote Foundation’s intervention was announced alongside a separate reward for academic excellence by the Lagos State Government.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu donated N20m each to the two overall best graduating students from the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
In his final convocation address as Visitor to LASU, Sanwo-Olu congratulated the graduates, their parents, sponsors and lecturers.
He also highlighted investments by his administration in the university, including the construction and commissioning of the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu Library Complex, lecture theatres, halls and student accommodation.
LASU has also expanded its accommodation capacity, while more than 50 infrastructure projects have been completed through funding from the Lagos State Government, Federal Government, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, private-sector contributions and internally generated revenue.
Dangote was one of three prominent Nigerians honoured with honorary doctorate degrees during the convocation.
The university also honoured Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, and Harriet-Ann Omobola (Bola) Adesola for their contributions to leadership, business and societal development.
