Aliko Dangote did not attend LASU’s combined 29th and 30th convocation ceremonies. His daughter Fatima represented him and received an honorary doctorate in entrepreneurship on his behalf. Still, he sent ahead of him N600 million, enough to pull jaws ajar in wonder and quell “how do we do this?” questions ahead of time.
The pledge, made through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, will fund the construction of a female student hostel at Lagos State University. Alongside it came an offer that carries arguably more long-term weight: first-class graduates in engineering and the sciences will receive pr≠≠eferential consideration for employment within the Dangote Group after their NYSC.
For a country that consistently produces high-achieving graduates and consistently fails to absorb them, that second commitment speaks to something real. Moreover, accommodation shortages at Nigerian public universities disproportionately affect female students, creating barriers to retention and academic stability that are rarely captured in convocation speeches. Therefore, the hostel addresses a problem that is less glamorous but equally consequential.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu added to the occasion by awarding N20 million each to LASU’s two top graduates. Ayilara Lawal Olawale finished the 2024-25 session with a 4.96 CGPA. Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide topped the 2025-26 session with 4.97.
