Senate Advances Bill to Convert YABATECH to University Status

The Nigerian Senate has advanced legislative proceedings on a bill seeking to upgrade Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) into a full-fledged university.

The proposed institution, to be named Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, successfully passed its second reading on Monday.

Presided over by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North), the bill was forwarded to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND. The committee has been tasked with conducting further review and is expected to submit its report within four weeks.

Titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of the Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba, Lagos State, and for Other Related Matters, 2025 (SB. 738),” the proposal aims to formally transform YABATECH into a university—building on an earlier presidential directive that approved the transition.

Leading the debate on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) said the bill reflects a national commitment to advancing technical and vocational education. He noted that the conversion of YABATECH would upgrade its infrastructure, expand academic programs, and raise the institution’s status to meet global standards.

Bamidele emphasized that the university will offer inclusive access to education, conduct cutting-edge research, and provide specialized training in technology and vocational fields. He added that the new university will be empowered to create faculties, colleges, and research institutes across its campuses, subject to approval by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He further stated that all existing staff of YABATECH would be absorbed into the new university system, with their years of service recognized for pension and employment continuity. All institutional assets would also be transferred to the university.

Highlighting the institution’s readiness for the transition, Bamidele affirmed that the university would stay true to its core mandate of producing skilled professionals capable of driving Nigeria’s development goals. He added that the new university would emulate global models like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), building a legacy of innovation and excellence.