Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has officially replaced the College of Education, Minna, with the newly established Abdulkadir Kure University, Minna (AKUM). Announcing this transition at the university’s inaugural matriculation ceremony, the governor directed Professor Muhammad Yakubu Auna, the Provost of the former College of Education, along with all staff members, to report to AKUM’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Aliyu Paiko.
With this shift, AKUM aims to become a multi-disciplinary university housing colleges in agriculture, medicine, engineering, and sciences. Governor Bago highlighted plans for partnerships with international institutions, including hosting the Kent State University Study Centre for agricultural research, as well as establishing a research institute in collaboration with Brazil. To support these initiatives, 1% of the state’s revenue will be allocated to this new institute, emphasizing a focus on agriculture and innovation.
In addition, the governor awarded each of the 86 matriculants a scholarship of N1 million, while providing N500 million to AKUM for infrastructure development. Bago also announced a funding commitment of N15 billion to construct essential facilities, including a Senate Building and student hostels.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paiko expressed the institution’s mission to deliver transformative education, fostering entrepreneurship and practical skills. He shared that students must establish their own registered companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission before graduating, aiming to produce self-sufficient, job-creating graduates.
Pro-Chancellor Professor Mohammed Kuta Yahaya added that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved 41 programs for AKUM, with an additional 30 innovative courses under review. With this transformation, Abdulkadir Kure University seeks to reshape higher education in Niger State, equipping students to meet both local and global demands.
