Vision in Continuity: The Birth and Growth of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara »

At the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office in Lugard House, Lokoja, in July 2020, the idea of establishing a specialised higher institution in Kogi State; the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara was conceived. A memo presented by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology (as it then was), Hon Wemi Jones was thoroughly deliberated upon by members of the Executive Council and subsequently approved.

At the adoption of the memo, the council chairman, Governor Yahaya Bello, CON as he then was, observed that the primary objective of the institution would be to address the ever-increasing demand for university education in science and technology, while also creating a sustainable pipeline of skilled manpower to support key industries such as the Ajaokuta Steel Company and stimulate local manufacturing and industrial development across the state and beyond.

Following this historic decision, a bill seeking the legal establishment of the institution was transmitted to the Kogi State House of Assembly. After due legislative scrutiny, it was passed on 19 August 2020. Demonstrating remarkable urgency and genuine commitment to educational advancement, Governor Bello assented to the bill on 27 August 2020, thereby formally giving birth to the University as a statutory institution.

On Tuesday, 9 November 2020, Governor Yahaya Bello proceeded to the National Universities Commission (NUC) headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, to seek Federal approval for the establishment of the university. Armed with comprehensive feasibility studies, detailed academic proposals, and impact assessment reports, the Governor presented a compelling case to the Commission’s then Executive Secretary, Professor Abubakar Rasheed. The delegation’s level of preparedness, clarity of purpose, and focused presentation reflected uncommon diligence, resolve, and responsiveness.

While submitting the documentation, Governor Bello emphasised the broader national vision underlying the creation of CUSTECH:
“Confluence was conceived as a specialised University of Science and Technology because we recognise the importance of education. Without education, none of us would be gathered here today.
Our university will be a functional one as it will put knowledge to the test. We are too quick at exporting our natural resources without adding value, instead of developing our own technology. This university exists to bridge that gap and contribute significantly to the general well-being of Nigeria.”

After carefully reviewing the documents submitted and observing the Governor’s zeal, passion, and unmistakable political will, the NUC Executive Secretary described the approval process as moving not “with the speed of light, but with something even faster; the speed of the Spirit.” On that historic day, the Commission granted express approval for the establishment of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, recognising it as the 50th State University in Nigeria. Professor Rasheed commended Governor Bello’s foresight, passion, and dedication to education, noting that the approval aligned with national priorities to deepen engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), as well as research, medical sciences, and allied disciplines.

With the institutional and legislative foundations firmly in place, the Kogi State Government immediately mobilised contractors to site to commence infrastructural development across the permanent campus.

On 12 February 2021, the State Government released ₦6.3 billion to contractors handling critical construction works at the University, followed by additional funding tranches to sustain and expand project implementation.

Through aggressive infrastructure development, robust recruitment of academic and non-academic staff, and purposeful administrative structuring, CUSTECH admitted its pioneer students for the 2020/2021 academic session; a total of 232 students across 11 academic programmes, drawn from seven departments under the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Computing and Informatics. Since then, the institution’s growth trajectory has remained consistent and dynamic.

By 2022, the University expanded considerably, establishing additional faculties and departments in response to rising enrolment and academic progress. That year witnessed the inauguration of the Faculty of Engineering, with four foundational and two specialised engineering programmes. These programmes were strategically designed to respond to emerging industrial demands, national infrastructure challenges, and Kogi State’s evolving economic diversificationagenda.
In the same year, Geology and Applied Geophysics programmes were introduced, which further increased admissions, expanded staffing, boosted local commercial activity within the host communities, and stimulated broader socio-economic development across the State.

By the 2023/2024 academic session, CUSTECH transitioned from a strictly science-and-technology-focused institution into a multidisciplinary university, aligning its academic offerings with wider development imperatives. New faculties were established, including Management and Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences, and Science and Technology Education, collectively administering 11 programmes: six in science education and five in technology and technical education.

The momentum intensified further in 2025, with the introduction of five additional engineering programmes and seven health-related programmes in direct response to the healthcare challenges confronting Kogi State and Nigeria at large. These include Anatomy, Medicine and Surgery, Medical Laboratory Science, Nursing Science, Physiology, Physiotherapy, and Radiology, aimed at producing critical human capital for local and national healthcare systems.
Additionally, the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Law were established, expanding CUSTECH’s academic footprint and consolidating its status as a comprehensive university.

Through visionary leadership, strategic programme development, continued infrastructural support, and administrative discipline, CUSTECH has evolved into a robust academic citadel boasting 56 NUC-approved academic programmes, 44 academic departments, 8 faculties, and 1 College comprising 3 faculties, with a vibrant student population exceeding 5,000 learners.

This remarkable confluence of leadership conceived and birthed under Governor Yahaya Bello, CON, and now expanding with renewed purpose and speed under the stewardship of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo reflects the power of policy continuity anchored in progressive governance.

On 29 November 2025, the University recorded a historic milestone as it graduated 132 pioneer students (first set) and 134 second-batch students during its maiden convocation ceremony. These graduates symbolised the flowering of years of institutional dedication, discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance.
Among the 132 first-set graduates, 16 earned First-Class honours, 85 obtained Second-Class Upper, and 31 graduated with Second-Class Lower, with no Third-Class degrees recorded across the Faculty of Computing and Informatics and the Faculty of Science.

In the second set, 15 students graduated with First-Class honours, 53 obtained Second-Class Upper, 50 earned Second-Class Lower, and 16 graduated with Third-Class honours from the same faculties.

These outstanding outcomes affirmed the academic quality envisioned by the institution’s founding leadership and sustained by the Government of Kogi State under the leadership of governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.

To enhance learning, expand research access, and reduce student operational costs, CUSTECH has become one of the most technologically advanced campuses in Nigeria. The University boasts comprehensive Wi-Fi connectivity, full digitisation of academic records, online result processing, and streamlined transcript management systems, positioning it competitively alongside Nigeria’s first- and second-generation universities.

The institution also maintains a fully equipped digital and ICT-driven library, offering extensive access to physical and electronic scholarly resources supporting all 8 faculties and 56 programmes. Its online databases include globally recognised platforms such as ProQuest, Research4Life, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), significantly strengthening research capacity.

During a recent visit, former Governor Yahaya Bello, CON, openly commended his successor, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, for not abandoning ongoing projects inherited from the previous administration. In return, Governor Ododo, as Visitor to the University, eulogised Bello’s visionary disposition, not only for establishing CUSTECH but also for founding the Kogi State University, Kabba as well. He reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to consolidating these legacies and advancing educational development in the State.

At the convocation ceremony, Ummulkhairi Oyiza Sheidu, from the Department of Software Engineering, emerged as the Overall Best Graduating Student with an exceptional CGPA of 4.89, for the 2024/2025 set while Shedrack Chubiyo Omachonu, of the Department of Microbiology, with an impressive CGPA of 4.87 as the overall best student for the 2023/2024 set; records that reflect the University’s strong academic culture.

Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara stands today as a living testament to what visionary leadership, purposeful governance, and sustained policy continuity can achieve for the collective good of the people. This is definitely one of the “bragging rights” for the former governor, Yahaya Bello, CON.

ONOGWU Muhammed, Esq

30th November, 2025