Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Enugu
The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has continued to expand and fine-tune its academic programmes to align with workforce demands of the high-tech-driven global economy.
The institution has secured the approval of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence 12 new full-time undergraduate academic programmes with effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.
According to a press release from the Public Relations Unit, the NUC conveyed approval for the programmes in a letter dated September 11, 2026, signed by the Director of Academic Planning, Abubakar M. Girei, on behalf of the executive secretary.
The NUC letter of approval was addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, and authorises the university to establish the programmes at its campuses.
The approval followed a resource verification visit by a panel of experts from the regulatory agency to assess the human and material resources available for the proposed programmes. The newly approved programmes cut across engineering, nuclear science, health, education and information technology, thereby “expanding the university’s academic offerings in emerging and specialised fields.”
The new programmes include B.Eng. Automotive Engineering; B.Eng. Nuclear Engineering; B.Sc. Nuclear Science; B.Sc. Pharmacology; B.Sc. Health Care Administration and Hospital Management; Optometry; and B.Ed. Educational Management. This programme offers options in Politics, Philosophy and Economics; English and Literary Studies; Political Science; Geography; Social Studies; and Business Education. Other approved programmes are B.Sc. Cyber Security; B.Sc. Artificial Intelligence; B.Sc. Data Science; B.Sc. Software Engineering; and B.Sc. Information Technology.
The NUC approval covers the full-time mode of delivery only, with the NUC emphasising that the University should notify it “for further processing” before commencing part-time delivery or the postgraduate components of the approved programmes.
The commission also directed UNN to retain the approved titles and nomenclature of the programmes, adding that any changes would require its approval. It further enjoined the University to provide adequate human and material resources to support the development and growth of the new programmes.
Reacting to the development, Ortuanya said the approval was an important step in the University’s ongoing efforts to expand opportunities for students and strengthen its capacity to respond to the needs of a rapidly changing world. He added that the university would ensure the approved programmes were supported with the requisite human and material resources, in line with NUC standards.
The introduction of the 12 new academic programmes marks a significant expansion of the university’s academic portfolio ahead of the 2026/2027 academic session.