Dangote Donates N15bn to ADUSTECH
By Patience Ikpeme
Group President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced a donation of N15 billion to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil, Kano State, to support the institution’s transformation into a hub of world-class research and technical education.
Dangote made the announcement during the university’s 5th convocation ceremony, where he was also reappointed as Chancellor of the institution. Addressing graduates and stakeholders, the billionaire industrialist unveiled a five-year development plan aimed at advancing the university’s infrastructure and academic output.
According to him, the N15 billion commitment will fund the construction of additional student hostels, a world-class engineering laboratory, and a state-of-the-art multipurpose computer lab with 24-hour internet access to enhance academic research. A mini solar power plant will also be installed to boost power supply across campus.
In addition, a new Senate building will be constructed to house the university’s administrative functions. Dangote further announced that high-performing graduates in engineering and related disciplines will be considered for post-NYSC employment at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant, as well as the company’s cement plants.
He noted that running a specialized institution like ADUSTECH requires extensive financial support, which cannot be shouldered by the government alone. Through the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), he said, the university’s electricity bill had been settled to reduce its financial strain.
“We also built two hostels—one for male and another for female students—with 500 bed spaces each,” he said. “To ensure uninterrupted power supply, we connected the institution to a 33KVA line and provided a 2.5MVA transformer along with six step-down transformers. This has significantly improved the energy situation on campus.”
Looking back at the institution’s journey, Dangote praised the visionaries who conceived ADUSTECH 25 years ago. “From 88 students at inception to a population of over 21,877, and about 18,000 graduates in this combined convocation, this is indeed a milestone,” he said.
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, in his remarks, applauded Dangote for his unwavering financial and moral contributions to the university’s development. He described the philanthropist as a visionary and a pride of Africa’s industrial landscape.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasa, noted that the convocation celebrated 18,000 graduates who completed their programs over the past decade. He acknowledged the university’s recent achievements, including program accreditations and a mathematical digital model developed by alumnus Mahmoud Mubarak for measuring deforestation density.
The ceremony also featured the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on several distinguished Nigerians, including businessman Chief Arthur Eze, founder of Max Air and billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate Al-Mustapha Ado, founder of Amasco Oil.
