The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) says it has all that’s needed to be become a full fledged university in Nigeria.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday, Joe Ejiofor, Deputy Registrar of the institution, said the school has in place the required structures, human resources and equipment to run as a university.
According to him, the government has exclusive right to turn the institution to a university.
Ejiofor also disclosed that the Institution had no fewer than 150 PhD holders, while there were still more academics working to upgrade their record to the level of PhD.
“YABATECH as a Federal Government owned Institution has all it takes in all capacity to compare with any university in Nigeria. So, if it decides otherwise, YABATECH can always fit in.
“Because we have the manpower, resources, equipment, studios, facilities and many other necessary requirements that can make it adapt to a university which will be a good development in the right direction.
“However, as we speak, YABATECH is still under the control of the regulatory body, that is the National Board for Technical Education, as we award National Diplomas, Higher National Diplomas as a Polytechnic,” he added.
The Deputy Registrar described YABATECH, which was founded in 1947, as a Federal Polytechnic and Nigeria’s first higher educational Institution.
He added that the institution offered full-time and part-time HND/ND/Post-HND programmes areas cutting across Science, Technology and Commerce.