Education

The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has shortlisted 5,747 candidates for the 2025 Overseas Scholarship Scheme interview stage. The breakdown includes 3,875 applicants for Master’s programmes and 1,871 for PhD programmes. At the North-West Interview Centre in Kaduna, 560 candidates, 350 MSc and 210 PhD, are participating in the interview, which runs throughout the week. Speaking during the Kaduna exercise, Atahiru Ahmad, PTDF Manager of Training, explained that the interviews are part of the Fund’s selection process, with six centres established across the geopolitical zones. He emphasized that the focus remains on oil and gas-related disciplines to develop local capacity for the industry. Read Also: Provost Gwaram Unveils FCAPT Progress, Seeks Urgent Completion of Bunkure Campus Dalhatu Ibrahim, Director of the Federal Character Commission in Katsina, described the process as transparent and fair. Several candidates expressed optimism about their chances. Capt. Chukwuebuka Nwali of the Nigerian Army Education Corps hopes to study Nuclear Physics to address corrosion issues in the oil and gas sector. Ibrahim Jamilu, a geoscientist, applied to study Environmental Geology to help mitigate oil-related environmental damage. Economist Habiba Ali seeks to pursue Computational Finance to address financial inefficiencies in the energy sector using data-driven solutions.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has officially released the results of the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), marking a key academic milestone for students transitioning from Junior Secondary School (JSS3) to Senior Secondary School (SS1) across Nigeria. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, confirmed the release and shared critical updates on the examination process. Read Also: Underage Admissions Banned as FG Fixes Entry Age at 16 A total of 179,201 candidates registered for the examination, which assessed students in 12 core subjects. The BECE was conducted nationwide from May 12 to May 23, 2025, with the council reporting a smooth and hitch-free exercise across all centers. Sani noted that the release of results followed the successful conclusion of the 2025 BECE Award Committee Meeting, held at NECO headquarters in Minna, Niger State. The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including school principals from various states and senior NECO officials. The Chairperson of the Award Committee and Director of Basic Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji-David, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination and commended NECO for upholding integrity and transparency throughout the process. Meanwhile, NECO also announced that arrangements have been finalized for the re-sit examination for candidates who did not pass Mathematics or English Studies. “The re-sit examination is scheduled to hold on 23rd and 24th July, 2025, for Mathematics and English Studies,” the council stated. However, NECO did not provide a performance breakdown or general analysis of student outcomes in the released statement.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially announced 150 as the minimum cut-off mark for admission into Nigerian universities for the 2025 academic session. The announcement was made on Tuesday during the 2025 Policy Meeting on Admissions, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. In addition to the university benchmark, JAMB also approved cut-off marks for other tertiary institutions. Colleges offering nursing programmes now have a minimum cut-off mark of 140, while polytechnics, colleges of agriculture, and colleges of education are set at 100. Read Also: Underage Admissions Banned as FG Fixes Entry Age at 16 “The minimum admissible scores for admissions for the next academic session have been fixed at 150 for universities, 100 for polytechnics, 100 for colleges of education, and 140 for colleges of nursing sciences by the stakeholders (Heads of Tertiary Institutions),” JAMB posted on its official X handle. Details later… (Platinum Post)

The Federal Government has officially set the minimum entry age into Nigeria’s tertiary institutions at 16 years. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced this on Tuesday while declaring open the ongoing Policy Meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Abuja. He emphasized that the new directive is non-negotiable. Dr. Alausa also warned that any admission conducted outside the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) would be considered illegal, with perpetrators both individuals and institutions to face prosecution. Read Also: Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage Appointed Chancellor of Northwest University, Kano He noted that institutional heads found engaging in admission fraud would not be spared, as the Ministry is committed to enforcing strict compliance with all admission guidelines. The issue of age eligibility for tertiary education in Nigeria has been the subject of prolonged public debate, particularly regarding the readiness and suitability of students under 18 for university education. The Minister’s announcement is expected to put an end to the controversy and streamline the admission process nationwide.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has directed its branches nationwide to suspend services following the delay in the payment of June 2025 salaries. The action is in line with the union’s “No Pay, No Work” resolution, which mandates members to withdraw services if salaries are delayed beyond the third day of a new month. ASUU President, Prof. Chris Piwuna, confirmed the development on Monday in Abuja, stating that branches such as the University of Jos and the University of Abuja have already commenced strike actions in compliance with the directive. He criticized the Federal Government’s indifference to the plight of university lecturers, who he said are already struggling with meager pay. Piwuna noted that salary delays became frequent after the migration from the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). Despite several engagements with the Minister of Education and the Accountant General of the Federation, the union said the issue remains unresolved. Read Also: FG, Kano State, Rebuild and Launch Kano Digital Park “The platform is working; the delay is simply a deliberate act by the Office of the Accountant General,” Piwuna said. In addition to the salary delays, the union is also demanding the immediate release of the outstanding N10 billion out of the N50 billion Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) owed to its members. So far, only N40 billion has been paid. At the University of Jos, ASUU branch chairman Jurbe Molwus confirmed that lecturers have withdrawn from lectures and meetings in compliance with NEC’s resolution. He added that the strike monitoring team has been activated to ensure full compliance. ASUU insists that unless salaries are paid promptly, affected branches will remain on strike.

The Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), has formally approved the appointment of Professor Haruna Musa as the institution’s 12th Vice-Chancellor. This was disclosed in an official letter signed by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, following the Council’s meeting held on Thursday, July 3, 2025. The letter stated that the appointment, which followed recommendations by the University’s Selection Board, is for a single five-year term effective from August 18, 2025. Read Also: Provost Gwaram Unveils FCAPT Progress, Seeks Urgent Completion of Bunkure Campus “The Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano, exercising its authority under Section 4 of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Act, 2003… hereby approves your appointment as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano,” the letter reads. A statement by the Director of Public Affairs, BUK, Malam Lamara Garba, said Dr. Gawuna congratulated Professor Musa and wished him a successful and impactful tenure. Academic and Professional Background Born on June 20, 1967, in Dambatta, Kano State, Professor Haruna Musa began his educational journey at Sabuwar Unguwa Primary School (1974–1980) and continued at Government Secondary School, Dambatta (1980–1985). He earned his IJMBE certificate from the College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Kano in 1988 and proceeded to obtain a B.Sc. in Chemistry from BUK in 1991. He earned a Master’s in Polymer Chemistry from the same university in 1999 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Bristol, UK, in 2009. While pursuing his doctorate, he worked part-time with Revolymer Ltd, a UK-based university spin-off company. Professor Musa began his academic career as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry at BUK in 1993. He became a full professor in 2019. Over his career, he has supervised more than 300 undergraduate and over 60 postgraduate research projects. He has published 52 scholarly articles, eight book chapters, and presented more than 40 conference papers across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Research and Innovations Professor Musa has led several landmark research projects. He was the principal investigator for a N36 million National Research Fund grant on rechargeable zinc-air batteries and currently serves as Nigeria’s lead on a joint research venture with North Carolina State University, USA. That project facilitated BUK’s acquisition of advanced Filabot equipment for plastic recycling research. His collaborative efforts extend to institutions in India, Morocco, Senegal, and Saudi Arabia. Leadership and Administrative Roles Professor Musa is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and chairs key university committees, including the Senate Business Committee and the University Admissions Committee. He has previously served as: Head, Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry (2015–2019) Deputy Director, Centre for Renewable Energy Research (CRER) Deputy Director I, TETFund Centre of Excellence on Renewable Energy and Sustainability Transitions (CREST) He has also represented the university at various levels, including the Senate and Governing Council. National Assignments and Community Service At the national level, Professor Musa has served as: Lead Researcher, TETFund Impact Assessment Committee Member, Kano State STI Policy Technical Committee (2025) NUC accreditation team member for federal, state, and private universities External Examiner/Assessor for postgraduate theses and academic promotions He was Chairperson of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), BUK branch (2020–2024), and founder of the Dambatta Educational Development Initiative (DEDI), a non-profit focused on expanding educational access for the underprivileged. Professional Memberships and Recognitions Professor Musa is a fellow or member of several professional bodies, including: Fellow, Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (FICCON) Fellow, Polymer Institute of Nigeria (FPIN) Fellow, Textile Researchers Association of Nigeria (FTRAN) Fellow, Security Institute (fsi) Member, Chemical Society of Nigeria (MCSN) Member, Society for Peace Studies and Practice (MSPSP) His numerous awards include: Best Graduating Student in Chemistry, BUK (1991) Beam Time Award, GSI Helmholtz Centre, Germany (2008) Award of Research Excellence, PIN & Raw Materials Research Council (2017) Professor Haruna Musa is married with children. He enjoys reading, research, travelling, and football.