Benue State University (MOAUM – Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi). was established in 1992 as a state-owned university in Makurdi, Benue State. It has expanded from a relatively small institution into one of the major universities in Nigeria.

Matriculation and convocation records as well as other institutional data provide insight into how students have achieved academically.

Available Graduation Statistics

Year	Number of Graduates	Details
2024	17,925	Combined 22nd, 23rd, and 24th convocation ceremonies
2022	316	Medical doctors graduated after accreditation issues were resolved
2015	5,210	Matriculated students (not graduates, but useful enrollment indicator)
2024 Admission Cycle	6,502	Newly matriculated students
2006	19,000+	Total student enrollment
2015	32,000	Estimated total university student population

2024 Combined Convocation Statistics

During the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th combined convocation ceremonies in 2024, the university graduated a total of 17,925 students. The breakdown included:

• 15,101 Bachelor’s degrees
• 72 Postgraduate Diplomas
• 2,196 Master’s degrees
• 556 PhD degrees
• 44 First Class graduates

This was one of the largest publicly reported graduation figures in the institution’s history.

Medical Graduates Statistics

The College of Health Sciences of BSU reported that 316 medical doctors graduated after years of accreditation and certification challenges were resolved. These graduates included:

• 257 males
• 59 females

The graduation followed a prolonged stagnation period affecting the MBBS programme between 2003/2004 and 2015.

Student Population

The university had:

• Over 19,000 students in 2006
• Around 32,000 students by 2015

Matriculation Statistics

Academic Session	Newly Admitted Students
2015	5,210
2023/2024	6,502

Observations on Graduate Trends

Several trends can be inferred from available data:

1. Graduate output has increased substantially over the years as the university expanded faculties and postgraduate programmes.
2. The introduction of new faculties such as Pharmaceutical Sciences, Architecture, Media and Communication Studies, and Technology-related disciplines contributed to rising graduation numbers.
3. Postgraduate education has become a significant component of BSU’s academic structure, as seen in the 2024 convocation where over 2,700 postgraduate degrees and diplomas were awarded.
4. Combined convocations suggest that some graduation ceremonies were delayed or merged, meaning annual statistics may not always correspond neatly to a single academic year.

Earlier Graduation Statistics

Convocation Year	Academic Sessions Covered	Total Graduates	Additional Details
2024	22nd–24th Combined Convocation	17,925	44 First Class graduates
2023	2018–2021 Sessions	23,060	63 First Class graduates
2022	Medical Programme Graduation	316	MBBS graduates after accreditation restoration
2019	Not fully published	Partial data unavailable publicly	Convocation held
Earlier Years (1990s–2010s)	Annual/combined sessions	No centralized public archive	Data scattered

2023 Combined Convocation Statistics

One of the largest earlier datasets available came from the university’s combined convocation ceremony held in February 2023. The ceremony covered graduates from the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 academic sessions.

The university reported:

• 23,060 total graduands
• 20,815 Bachelor’s degrees
• 494 Postgraduate Diplomas
• Remaining graduates consisted of Master’s and PhD recipients
• 63 students obtained First Class honours

The event also marked the university’s 30th anniversary celebration.

Institutional Expansion and Graduate Output

The university evolved from four initial faculties in 1992 into a much larger institution with multiple colleges and specialized programmes.

Newer faculties and schools contributed substantially to graduate growth, including:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Architecture
• Media and Communication Studies
• Technology and Industrial Studies

Percentage of First Class Graduates at Benue State University

The most clearly documented figure available publicly is from the 2024 combined convocation ceremonies of Benue State University.

2024 Combined Convocation

• Total graduates: 17,925
• First Class graduates: 44

The percentage is calculated as:

Result:

\approx 0.245\%

So, approximately 0.25% of the graduates obtained First Class honours.

Interpretation

This means:

• About 1 out of every 407 graduates earned a First Class degree.
• The proportion is relatively low compared with many Nigerian private universities, where First Class rates are often much higher.
• Public universities in Nigeria generally maintain stricter First Class grading distributions.

Comparison With Other Nigerian Universities

A 2026 report on Nigerian universities indicated that:

• Many public universities average around 1%–3% First Class graduates.
• Some private universities exceed 15%–20%.

Therefore, BSU’s reported rate of about 0.25% is notably conservative.

Important Context

The 2024 ceremony was a combined convocation covering the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th ceremonies rather than a single graduating class.

This may affect direct comparison with universities reporting annual statistics only.

Comparison of First Class Graduate Rates Across Nigerian Universities

Benue State University’s estimated First Class rate of approximately 0.25% is considerably lower than the rates reported by many other Nigerian universities, especially private institutions.

Comparative Statistics

University	First Class Graduates	Total Graduates	Approximate Percentage
Benue State University	44	17,925	0.25%
University of Lagos	617	10,584	5.8%
University of Ibadan	428	5,900	7.3%
Federal University of Technology Owerri	115	5,188	2.2%
Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta	104	4,141	2.5%
Adekunle Ajasin University	62	6,837	0.9%
Covenant University	339	~1,615 estimated	~21%
Afe Babalola University	226	~1,614 estimated	~14%

Mathematical Comparison

Using BSU’s figure:

Compared with Covenant University:

This means Covenant University’s First Class rate is roughly:

\frac{21}{0.25} \approx 84

about 84 times higher than the reported BSU rate.

Public vs Private University Patterns

A major trend in Nigeria is the substantial gap between public and private universities in First Class distributions.

Available national analyses show:

• Top private universities averaged roughly 17%
• Public universities averaged roughly 3%

BSU’s reported rate is therefore:

• far below the public university average,
• and dramatically below elite private university rates.

Why Public Universities Often Have Lower First Class Rates

Several structural factors contribute to the disparity.

1. Larger Student Populations

Public universities often admit far more students than private universities. Large class sizes can reduce:

• lecturer-to-student interaction,
• continuous assessment quality,
• mentoring opportunities.

BSU’s combined convocation involved nearly 18,000 graduates, which is massive by Nigerian standards.

2. Strikes and Academic Disruptions

Federal and state universities in Nigeria frequently experience:

• ASUU strikes,
• delayed academic calendars,
• interrupted semesters,
• infrastructural instability.

Research on Nigerian university strikes indicates these disruptions significantly affect academic continuity and performance.

3. Stricter Grading Culture

Many Nigerian public universities historically maintain conservative grading systems where:

• First Class degrees are intentionally rare,
• departments impose difficult progression standards,
• assessment methods are heavily examination-based.

This culture is particularly strong in:

• engineering,
• medicine,
• law,
• sciences.

4. Private University Academic Environment

Private universities often provide:

• uninterrupted calendars,
• smaller classes,
• closer supervision,
• stricter attendance monitoring,
• more stable infrastructure.

Institutions such as Covenant University have built reputations around intensive academic management and performance systems.

Debate About Grade Inflation

The rapid growth in First Class graduates from private universities has generated debate in Nigeria.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) publicly questioned the increasing number of First Class graduates being produced by private universities.

Critics argue that:

• grading standards may be softer,
• academic pressure differs,
• universities may use high classifications for institutional branding.

Supporters counter that:

• better infrastructure,
• stable calendars,
• stronger supervision,
• modern learning systems

naturally improve student performance.

International Context

Even internationally, First Class degree inflation has become a major issue.

In the United Kingdom:

• only about 8% earned First Class degrees in the early 1990s,
• by 2024–2025, around 30% of graduates obtained First Class honours.

This shows that the debate around grading standards is not unique to Nigeria.

Position of Benue State University

Based on available data, Benue State University appears to belong to the group of Nigerian public universities with:

• highly restrictive First Class grading,
• relatively conservative classification standards,
• lower proportions of top-degree awards.

Its approximate 0.25% rate is among the lowest publicly reported figures currently available in Nigeria.