UNILORIN ICT, backbone driving global competitiveness-Jimoh

By Mustafa Abubakar

The Director of the Directorate of Computer Services and Information Technology (COMSIT), University of Ilorin, Prof. Rasheed Gbenga Jimoh, has reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to becoming a fully digitised and globally competitive 21st-century University as he described Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as the engine of its transformation.

Prof. Jimoh, who specialises in Information and Cyber Security, disclosed this penultimate Thursday (November 19,2025) while speaking with UNILORIN Bulletin in his office.

The Director described COMSIT as “a strategic nerve centre that powers every digital process in the University of Ilorin.”

According to him, one of the misconceptions among students and staff is the belief that COMSIT only attends to student ICT issues.

He said, “COMSIT is far beyond a student-support unit,” adding, “When I assumed office, we restructured the entire Directorate and created 12 separate units with clear mandates. COMSIT is the whole ICT ecosystem of this University.”

Speaking on the University’s improved ranking, Prof. Jimoh explained that the sharp rise was the outcome of deliberate digital visibility and system reforms.

“When this Administration came in, UNILORIN was ranked 28th in Nigeria. Today, we are 7th in Webometrics and 6th in the Higher Education Ranking,” he stated.

He noted that compelling academic staff to maintain updated online profiles greatly enhanced the University’s visibility.

“Our scholars have patents, grants, global publications and innovations that were previously invisible to the ranking bodies. Visibility changed everything,” he said.

He added that the University has set ambitious targets. “Our goal is to be number one in Nigeria, among the top ten in Africa, and among the top 500 in the world. It is a long-term project, but we are on the right path.”

Prof. Jimoh also highlighted COMSIT’s central role in the Golden Jubilee celebrations. He explained that the University now operates a fully integrated, enterprise-grade, scalable portal system that has eliminated the past challenges of disjointed platforms.

He said, “We have about 15 portals fully integrated into one. A lecturer who works across different faculties can switch roles without logging out. This University now runs a modern, digital platform that matches global standards.”

He added, “Today, transcript requests, student clearance, inter-university and intra-university transfers, elections, balloting, and several other processes are automated end-to-end. This is the University of the future.”

He disclosed that for the first time, the University has also established a pilot Innovation Hub as part of the commissioned projects during the 50th anniversary.

The Director described the Hub as a major leap for student creativity.

According to him, “We now have an innovation hub that can accommodate 40 innovators working 24 hours daily. Our students are brilliant; they only need an enabling environment. This hub will help UNILORIN produce global innovators.”

Prof. Jimoh revealed that there are ongoing discussions with Huawei to further transform UNILORIN’s digital infrastructure, saying, “Huawei is set to help us upgrade multimedia systems and digital infrastructure. Once concluded, it will completely transform the University’s digital landscape.”

He said that the  University has also introduced an e-ticketing system that has ended the long queues formerly seen at COMSIT offices.

“Today, staff and students do not need to come physically. You can raise your ticket online, and dedicated staff will resolve it. How many public universities in Nigeria have that kind of support system?” he stated.

Prof. Jimoh emphasised that the University’s achievements have attracted national recognition.

“The Federal Government has already identified the University of Ilorin as a model for some of its ICT programmes,” he revealed, stressing the need for students to embrace change.

According to Prof. Jimoh, “We are no longer in a pre-digital world. ICT will not replace people, but it will replace those who refuse to accept change.”

He explained that most university units now manage their digital processes independently.

He said, “Admissions now do their entire process themselves. Senate manages suspension and resumption digitally. CBT generates its own data. Hostels are allocated directly by Student Affairs. Our role is to train them and give them access.”