The Department of Statistics, University of Ilorin, was established in the 1977/78 academic year with Prof. S. K. Singha as the first head of the Department. The first batch of students graduated in the 1979/80 academic year. The Department started with three full time academic staff members, namely;

1. Prof. S. K. Singha

2. Mr. E. T. Jolayemi

3. Mr. A. F. Ige

From that time the Department has been growing both in terms of number and quality of academic staff in one hand and also the number and grades of degree and diploma programmes on the other hand. We would like to commend the University of Ilorin authorities for their continuous support and providing academic learning environment that is conducive. One of the unwritten cultures of the Department in which the whole university community has known us for is delivery of course lectures as soon as academic year begins and also submission of students’ grades as soon as the examinations are over. This has been sustained over the years.

Vision
The vision of the Department of Statistics, University of Ilorin, was to build a Department of Statistics that would be second to none, at least on the Coast of West Africa. The Department was very much conscious of the other Departments of Statistics at the University of Ibadan and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. We were also very much aware of the Statistics programme at the Ahmadu Bello University, Department of Mathematics.

Mission
Our mission in the Department of Statistics was to develop a Department of Statistics, here at Ilorin, that will:

1. Continue in the best tradition of academic
2. Continue to attract the best brains
3. Continue to produce competent statisticians for the public establishments, industries and academic institutions
4. Be a second home for members of staff
   These desires found expressions in the way we have been conducting ourselves, in the dedications we had brought into the performance of our duties, in the way we related with our students and in the enviable relationship developed and nurtured between staff members.

Objective of the Programme
The objective of Statistics Programme is to produce competent statisticians and to become a reference point in Statistics in order to make the Department the envy of other sister Departments of Statistics in the Country. Our unwritten motto is “Ajise bi Oyo laari, Oyo kii se bu enikan”

List of Past HODs

1. Prof. S. K. Singha 1977/78

2. Dr. E. Bangudu 1978/79 – 1979/80

3. Prof. B. D. Tikkiwal 1980/81 – 1981/82

4.Dr. O. S. Adegboye 1982/83 – 1983/84

5. Dr. H. B. Lawal 1984/85 – 1985/86

6. Dr. O. S. Adegboye 1986/87 – 1987/88

7.Dr. H. B. Lawal 1988/89

8.Prof. O. S. Adegboye 1989/90 – 1993/94

9. Dr. P. A. Osanaiye 1994/95 – 1995/96

10. Prof. E. T. Jolayemi 1996/97 – 1998/99

11. Prof. B. A. Oyejola 1999/00 – 2004/05

12. Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi 2005/06 – 2007/08

13. Prof. I. O . Oshungade 2008/09 – 2010/11

14. Dr. A. A. Adewara 2011/12 – 2012/13

15. Dr. W. B. Yahya 2013/14 – 2014/15

16. Prof. B. L. Adeleke 2015/16 – 2017/18

17. Prof. A. O. Adejumo 2018/19 – 2020/21

18. Prof. G. M. Oyeyemi 2021/22 to date