UNIZIK VC Assures Alumni of Digital Transformation, Improved Learning Environment

The Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Prof. Ugochukwu Bond Stanley Anyaehie, has assured members of the university’s alumni association that his administration is working to position the institution to reflect the stature and legacy of its namesake, the late Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Great Zik of Africa.

Prof. Anyaehie made the remarks on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the International Convention of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Alumni Association held at the Exclusive Serene Hotel, Wuye, Abuja.

The Vice-Chancellor said the university had embraced digital innovations and modern information and communication technology in its administration to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve the efficiency of its operations.

He recalled the challenges he encountered when his administration assumed office in November last year but said he remained undaunted and tackled the difficulties with the support of the university’s alumni, including members of the Asaba and United Kingdom branches, whose early interventions he said made significant contributions to the administration.

According to him, some of the major interventions introduced by his administration as part of its digitalisation drive include:

• Digital clearance
• Digital transcript processing
• Electronic provision of statements of results

The Vice-Chancellor, a Professor of Physiology and Clinical Measurements, thanked the alumni for continuing to identify with their alma mater and assured them that the university management was ready to work with them to build a stronger institution.

He also pledged to leave behind a university that alumni would be proud to associate with anywhere in the world.

“We are poised to creating a conducive learning environment in the university. As from this session starting, we will not have any student standing during lectures. All classrooms will be kitted and fitted with the necessary learning tools and we will admit only the much we can cater for,” he said.

Prof. Anyaehie also highlighted the university’s new digital clearance system for graduating students, saying it would allow graduates to complete their clearance remotely.

“As for those graduating, we have activated the digital clearance in such way that one can stay in any part of the world and get cleared within 5 days of applying,” he said.

He added that the system would generate a provisional certificate after clearance, which graduates could download online and use for official purposes.

“Once cleared too, the system generates a provisional certificate for you which you can download online. That certificate can serve as your permanent certificate in such a manner that after convocation, we just remove the watermark provisional and you download it from anywhere you are.

“When you apply for a job, it has a barcode, you scan the barcode and authenticate it and your certificate is authenticated immediately,” the Vice-Chancellor explained, drawing applause from the alumni.

Prof. Anyaehie also commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), whose representative attended the convention, for its interventions at UNIZIK.

He recalled that the university was on TETFund’s restricted or banned list when he assumed office but said the institution was subsequently removed from the list following engagements with the agency.

The Chairman of the occasion and former Senate President, Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, commended the university management and alumni association for preserving the legacy of Nnamdi Azikiwe at the institution.

Senator Anyim, who jokingly appealed to be admitted into the global alumni body despite not being a former student of the university, said alumni associations should focus on sustaining the integrity, dignity and objectives of the institutions from which their members graduated.

He stressed the importance of graduates continuing to contribute to their former institutions after leaving school, citing the biblical account in Genesis 2:15, where man was placed in the Garden of Eden with the responsibility to tend and care for it.

“When you walk through a place that impacted your life, it is just right that you look back and contribute your own quota to its growth,” Anyim said.

The Guest Speaker, Mallam Ali Muhammad Ali, Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), spoke on the theme, “Innovation, Integrity and Inclusion: Rekindling the Zik Vision for a New Era.”

Ali described Nnamdi Azikiwe as a brand that projected Africa as a continent capable of standing among the brightest in the world.

He urged members of the alumni association to see themselves not merely as graduates seeking employment but as problem-solvers capable of creating solutions to societal challenges.

He challenged the alumni to move from degree acquisition to knowledge creation and from examination success to measurable societal impact.

Ali also encouraged the association to establish funding programmes capable of connecting its members to the global community and supporting initiatives that could generate positive impact.

Earlier, the Global President of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Alumni Association, Prof. Ikechukwu Umeh, said the convention provided an opportunity for members to reunite as Great Zikites, review their journey, account for their stewardship, strengthen their relationships and collectively determine the future direction of the association.

He said the association’s administration began the year with the belief that an alumni body should not be measured merely by the meetings it holds but by the lives it touches, the institution it strengthens and the opportunities it creates.

According to him, the association’s activities focused on:

• Student support and mentorship
• Institutional development
• Constitutional strengthening
• Branch expansion
• Alumni engagements
• Completion of the Alumni Centre

On the association’s future priorities, Prof. Umeh said significant work remained despite the progress recorded.

“The scholarship scheme must grow, our mentorship activities must become more structured, the temporary secretariat must continue to develop, the constitutional review process and expansion of the Board of Trustees must be concluded, existing branches must be strengthened and new ones inaugurated and above all, the Alumni centre must be completed,” he said.

He further stressed the importance of transparency and accountability in the association’s operations, noting that members who contribute their time, resources and expertise should have confidence that their contributions are being properly utilised.

“Trust strengthens participation, and participation strengthens institutions,” he stated.

Prof. Umeh also appreciated the Vice-Chancellor and the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University for their cooperation and support.

The Chairman of the National Convention Committee, Dr. Obinna Uyaemezina, similarly expressed appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of the convention.

The event also featured the conferment of awards on deserving recipients, including Chief Dr. Ifeanyi Josephat Obi, Chief Mrs. Nkechi Jacob, Arc. Chief Christian Asaga Nwali and High Chief Kenneth Ifekudu.