By Felix Khanoba
The Governing Council of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja ) now known as Yakubu Gowon University, has approved the promotion of 34 members of its academic staff to professorial ranks, in a move aimed at recognising excellence in teaching, research and scholarship.
The promotions, approved under the leadership of the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso, saw 17 senior academics elevated to the rank of Professor, while another 17 were promoted to Associate Professor.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, the promotions were endorsed during the 101st Regular Meeting of the Governing Council held on July 10 and 11, 2026.
The statement noted that the council approved the promotions after considering favourable external assessment reports on the candidates’ scholarly publications.
The beneficiaries are drawn from a broad range of academic disciplines, including Community Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Religious Studies, Guidance and Counselling, Accounting, Library and Information Science, Business Administration and Physics.
Other fields represented in the promotions are Parasitology and Entomology, Physiology, Crop Science, Educational Foundations, and Banking and Finance.
The university said the promotions took effect from October 2025.
Congratulating the newly promoted academics, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, described the elevations as a testament to the commitment of the beneficiaries to academic excellence and scholarly productivity.
According to him, “These promotions are not just about attaining a higher rank. They reflect our belief that hard work and dedication should be recognised and rewarded.”
He added: “I congratulate all those promoted and encourage them to see this as a call to even greater service to the University, their profession and society.”
Fawehinmi also reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to improving its internal processes to ensure that external assessment reports are treated promptly and that deserving academics are promoted in line with established regulations.
