ABRAKA — Delta State University on Saturday formally admitted 9,498 new students into its academic community during the 2025/2026 matriculation ceremony held at the Convocation Arena, Site III, Main Campus, marking one of the institution’s largest intakes in recent years amid rising academic recognition nationally.
Addressing the fresh students, Vice Chancellor Professor Samuel Asagba described their admission as a major achievement, noting that thousands of applicants competed for limited spaces through a rigorous selection process that included the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and Post-UTME screening.
He revealed that the institution continues to strengthen its reputation for academic excellence, recently earning recognition among Nigeria’s top universities in the 2026 global rankings, where it emerged as the fourth-best state university and ranked 12th overall nationwide. The university was also recognized as the leading state-owned institution in the South-South and South-East regions.
Providing a detailed breakdown of admissions, the Vice Chancellor said the Faculty of Science recorded the highest intake with 1,736 students, followed by Education with 1,385 and Management Sciences with 1,100. Other faculties included Allied Health Sciences with 804 students, Arts with 952, Engineering with 592, Communication and Media Studies with 633, Social Sciences with 660, Computing with 340, Law with 118, Pharmacy with 114, and Agriculture with 171 students. Basic Medical Sciences admitted 731 students, Clinical Sciences 131, Dentistry 10, Basic Clinical Sciences five, while Environmental Sciences enrolled 21 students.
Professor Asagba attributed the university’s rising profile to strong academic standards, improved infrastructure, and sustained support from the Delta State Government. He noted that the institution now operates 17 faculties with 109 accredited academic programmes, alongside an Institute of Education and a Business School in Asaba.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor urged the new students to remain disciplined and focused throughout their academic journey. He cautioned against excessive social media use, cultism, violence, internet fraud, examination malpractice, and other behaviours capable of disrupting campus peace or undermining academic success. He advised them to pursue their dreams with integrity while safeguarding their reputation and personal conduct.
He also expressed appreciation to the Delta State Government for continued investment in the university’s development, assuring stakeholders that the institution would continue prudent resource management and maintain its commitment to excellence.
The highlight of the ceremony was the administration of the matriculation oath by the Registrar, formally inducting the students into the university community and marking the beginning of their academic journey.
