NUC conducts resource verification for UNIOFFA’s health sciences programmes

National Universities Commission (NUC) has carried out a resource verification exercise at the University of Offa (UNIOFFA) as part of efforts to assess the institution’s readiness to expand its academic offerings, particularly in the health sciences.

The exercise, a mandatory quality assurance process for Nigerian universities seeking to establish new programmes or faculties, featured the deployment of expert panels to evaluate the institution’s facilities, manpower, and academic preparedness.

Separate teams of seasoned academics were constituted for key departments under the Faculty of Health Sciences, including Nursing Science, Physiotherapy, and Community Health.

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The Nursing Science team was led by Professor Adekemi Eunice Olowokere, a renowned Professor of Community-Public Health Nursing at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, alongside Mrs. Egwumba Immaculata and Abubakar Ibrahim.

For the Department of Physiotherapy, the team was headed by Professor Bashir Kaka, a distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic and Sports Physiotherapy at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), who also serves as Deputy Provost (Administration) of the College of Health Sciences, BUK. He was supported by Adeyemi Adeleke.

Similarly, the Community Health team was led by Professor Oluwasogo Adewole Olalubi, a Professor of Public Health and Head of the Department of Public Health at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, with Ogba Gabriel and Idris D. Ibrahim as members.

The Faculty of Health Sciences at UNIOFFA currently comprises Nursing Science, Physiotherapy, Medical Laboratory Science, and Community Health, all of which are undergoing rigorous assessment as part of the university’s expansion drive.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Kazeem Alagbe Gbolagade, during his address, said the visit is a significant milestone in the institution’s growth trajectory, reaffirming management’s commitment to quality and global best practices.

He also reaffirmed management’s commitment to quality and global best practices.

He formally welcomed the NUC team and highlighted the university’s rapid development since its establishment.

“University of Offa commenced academic activities in 2022, following its approval by the Federal Government in 2021 as a private university, and today, we are steadily expanding our academic frontiers,” he said.

Gbolagade noted that the institution began with the Faculty of Science and Computing, offering programmes such as Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Microbiology, and Physics with Electronics, alongside the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, which runs courses in Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Mass Communication, and Political Science.

The Vice-Chancellor, who assumed office as substantive head of the institution on September 15, 2025, outlined a five-point agenda designed to reposition the university for excellence.

According to him, the agenda focuses on financial sustainability, digital transformation, staff and student welfare, a conducive learning environment, and research-driven collaborations.

He disclosed that the university has made notable progress in boosting its internally generated revenue (IGR) and is advancing towards becoming a largely paperless institution, driven by strong Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure.

“Our ICT capacity is one of our major strengths. We have partnered with New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, and we ensure that every student, regardless of discipline, is well-grounded in ICT,” he said.

Gbolagade added that students are already demonstrating innovation, with some developing applications using artificial intelligence, while parts of the university’s digital portal were built by its own students.

On welfare, he emphasised the institution’s commitment to producing job creators rather than job seekers, noting that entrepreneurship development has been embedded into the academic culture. He revealed plans to register companies for students before graduation and provide startup grants to support their ventures.

“We want our graduates to leave this university empowered, not dependent. Our entrepreneurship model is designed to make them employers of labour,” he added.

The Vice-Chancellor also highlighted ongoing collaborations with local and international institutions, including partnerships with universities in Malaysia and the United States, as well as engagement with the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Kwara State KU8+ Consortium.

He assured the NUC team of the university’s unwavering commitment to quality assurance, stressing that the management welcomes constructive assessment.

“We are not claiming to be perfect, but we are committed to continuous improvement. Quality is something we do not compromise,” he said.

As part of the exercise, the NUC team inspected critical infrastructure across the campus, including the university library, ICT centre, health centre, administrative offices, and laboratories such as Physics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, as well as nursing demonstration classes.