By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
Mr Issa Aremu, the Director General of Micheal Imoudu National Institute for Labour studies ( MINILS) Ilorin has commended President Tinubu’s administration for prioritizing education through unprecedented improved funding.
Aremu made the commendation in Ilorin while speaking at the the 3rd matriculation ceremony of newly admitted 19 students of the Bachelors Degree in Employment Relations and Human Resources Management of the Institution.
The programme is in affiliation with the University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
He also commended the establishment of a student loan scheme (NELFUND) benefiting over 900,000 students.
Aremu who hailed the government for appointing Mr Taiwo Oyedele as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Finance, advised the new Minister to match record-high budgetary allocations with prompt and adequate budget releases.
Speaking on the matriculation, the director general described it as “a significant milestone in the academic journey of newly admitted students and a defining moment in the continued growth of the Institute.
He noted that Matriculation symbolizes students acceptance into a system built on discipline, excellence, integrity, and the pursuit of knowledge.”
The Director General observed that the National Institute for Labour Studies was established in1983 with the unique mandate for workers’ education.
He explained that the institute has trained hundreds of thousands of Nigerian Workers, evolving to be a globally renowned centre of excellence in labour education.
“In 2013, MINILS pioneered the National Diploma in Industrial and Labour Relations as part of its strategic effort to diversify and expand labour education services to our social partners.
“This initiative laid a strong foundation for professional training in labour relations within Nigeria.
“Building on this success, the Institute further expanded its academic portfolio in 2019 with the commencement of the Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, in affiliation with the prestigious University of Ilorin.
According to him, this milestone represented a significant leap forward, further strenghtening the position of the Institute among its peers and for better delivery of labour education service suitable for the new world of work order.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, congratulated the students for the opportunity given to them to study the degree programme.
The vice chancellor who emphasized on the importance of Matriculation, advised the new students to be dedicated to their quest for knowledge.
He commended the Labour Institute for their commitment in running the programme, adding that this is the third Matriculation Ceremony.
Egbewole expressed the belief that the number of Undergraduates will continue to increase with time and dedication to excellence.
He also pledged continuous support of UNILORIN in partnering with MINILS towards producing brilliant minds in the Labour market for the development of the nation.
Earlier in his welcoming address, Dr Sylvanus Adamade, the Coordinator of the Programme, and Director, Academic and Distance Learning Programmes Department explained that the programme commenced in 2019.
“The programme secured full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for five years.
“In 2024, our pioneer set of 20 students graduated and are currently serving the nation through the one-year compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), contributing to national development across Nigeria,” he said.
Adamade stated that the final-year results of the second set of the students are presently being processed by Unilorin , following the successful conduct of their degree examinations in Nov. 2025.
“The collaboration between MINILS and Unilorin in awarding Bachelor’s degree hold great promise for nurturing future labour leaders.
“This programme’s curriculum is designed to equip trade union leaders and workers with theoretical and conceptual tools needed to navigate the complexities of the contemporary world of works,” he said.
