UNILORIN processes now fully automated – Egbewole
By Kunle Akogun, Abubakar Imam and Tajudeen Babamale
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, has said that the University decided to embark on the automation of all its processes in order to ensure more efficient service delivery.
Prof. Egbewole, who is the Chairman of the Consortium of Kwara Universities. (KU8+), stated this recently in an interview with UNILORIN Bulletin in his office.
He said that the automation has made the processes better and faster to the advantage of the staff and students of the University as well as its other stakeholders.
The Vice Chancellor, who is the Vice President (West Africa) of the Association of African Universities (AAU), confirmed that the University is now known and celebrated for its technological advancement and automation.
He explained that “from the outset, we made automation one of our key priorities. We wanted to become a paperless University—and we’ve achieved that significantly.
He recalled that initially some people doubted the idea, adding that “today, the results speak for themselves” as it is impacting vigorously and positively on service delivery.
Prof. Egbewole, who is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West African Universities (AWAU), said that “everything—from student registration and records to staff leave management and payment approvals—is automated”.
As the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Egbewole said that he could log into the dashboard and instantly see data such as the number of students registered or staff on leave without leaving his desk.
“Since August 15 (2025), our Deans and Directors have also been operating paperlessly. Whether I’m in Nigeria or abroad, I can approve requests and respond to correspondences seamlessly”, the Vice Chancellor explained
Prof. Egbewole noted that the automation system has also improved the University’s financial processes as he said that “while we still depend on national platforms like Remita and TSA, our internal system ensures that our administrative work continues efficiently.”
The Vice Chancellor said that he was particularly proud when the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, commended the University of Ilorin as one of the best in Nigeria in terms of automation.
He added that the Minister even suggested the replication of the University of Ilorin model in other universities, noting that the Minister’s position is a testament to how far the University of Ilorin has gone.
Speaking on the challenges faced by the University in the journey of automating its processes, the Vice Chancellor said that the challenges are mainly around capacity and adaptation.
He, however, noted that the University is engaging in continuous training of its staff in order to build the enabling skills.
On the cost of the venture, Prof. Egbewole said that the automation has not cost the University any extra funds as he explained that the agreement the institution signed with its technology partners is based on a revenue-sharing model from student payments, not on lump-sum funding.
