The Director of the Advancement Centre at the University of Ilorin, Prof. Waheed Babatunde Yahya, has been appointed a member of the Technical Working Group on the National University Advancement Programme (NUAP).

Prof. Yahya, a lecturer in the Department of Statistics, University of Ilorin, will represent universities in the North-Central zone on the committee.

His appointment was announced at the launch of the National University Advancement Programme by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, in Lagos on Monday, January 26, 2026.

The Executive Director of the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation, Dr Claire Jemide, was named chairman of the Technical Working Group, while other members include Dr Adetola Salau, representing the Minister of Education, and Dr Kareem from the Department of University Education.

The committee also comprises Directors of Advancement Offices from the University of Lagos and the University of Ibadan, representing the South West; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for the North West; the University of Maiduguri for the North East; the University of Port Harcourt for the South South; and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for the South East.

Other members are Mr Adonye Wilcos of the African Finance Corporation and the Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Lawrence Ikechukwu Ezemonye.

Speaking at the event, Dr Alausa urged universities to effectively utilise their Advancement Centres to realise the objectives for which they were established.

The programme brought together vice chancellors and advancement officers from federal universities to deliberate on practical frameworks for alumni engagement, endowment management and transparent reporting, as well as strategies for strengthening Advancement Offices across Nigerian universities.