Federal University of Technology Owerri

The Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) is a federal government university in Owerri West, Owerri, the capital of Imo State, Nigeria.^[1] The university is bounded by the communities of Eziobodo, Ihiagwa, Obinze, Okolochi and Emeabiam.^[2] It is the premier federal university of technology in the South-East and South-South parts of Nigeria.

Federal University of Technology Owerri

Other name	FUTO
Motto	Technology For Service
Type	Public
Established	1980
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Nnenna Oti
Location	Owerri , Imo State , Nigeria 5.384°N 6.995°E / 5.384; 6.995
Campus	Urban
Website	www.futo.edu.ng

The university is the oldest university of technology in Nigeria and was established in 1980 by executive fiat with the composition and appointment of the first provisional council by Nigeria's first Executive President, Shehu Shagari.^[3] It became the first of three such universities set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria which sought to establish a University of Technology in each geo-political region, particularly in a state which did not have a conventional university.^[4]

FUTO began with 225 students and 60 staff (28 academic and 32 non-academic).^[5] Like other federal universities in Nigeria, FUTO is headed by a Chancellor who is usually a royal father and followed by a Vice-Chancellor who oversees the daily activities of the university.^[6]

The University Senate is the highest decision-making arm of the university. FUTO students are fondly called Futoites and currently there are over 25,000 students. FUTO has over 50 professors.^[1] The current vice-chancellor is Professor Nnenna Nnannaya Oti.^[7]

History

The university was founded in 1980.^[8] It later merged with Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri, absorbing the latter's students.^[9]

It is one of the premier technological universities in western Africa.^[10] Its student body comprises people from all over west Africa and beyond. It is the only federal university of technology in the south-east of Nigeria, and one of the oldest in West Africa^[11]

FUTO has been a partnering university to the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB).^[12] JUPEB offers A/Level Programs to Students seeking admission into the Federal University of Technology, Owerri via Direct Entry(DE). FUTO currently admit students into the JUPEB Program Yearly.^[13] On 13 April 2021, Prof Nnenna Oti was elected Vice-Chancellor to replace Francis Chukwuemeka Eze whose tenure expired on 19 June 2021.

Schools

• School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT)^[14]
• School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET)^[15]
• School of Electrical Systems and Engineering Technology (SESET)
• School of Physical Sciences (SOPS)^[16]
• School of Biological Sciences (SOBS)^[17]
• School of Logistics and Innovation Technology (SLIT)^[18]
• School of Health Technology (SOHT)^[19]
• School of Environmental Sciences (SOES)^[20]
• School of Basic Medical Sciences (SBMS)^[21]
• School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT)^[22]
• College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS)

Institutes and Academic Support Centres

• Centre for Agricultural Research (CAR)^[23]
• Centre for Continuing Education (CCE)^[24]
• Centre for Entrepreneurial and Vocational Studies^[25]
• Centre for Industrial Studies (CIS)^[26]
• Centre for Energy and Power Systems Research (CEPSR)^[27]
• Centre for Research and International Development (CRID) ^[28][29]
• Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies^[30]
• Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre ^{[citation needed]}
• Institute of Erosion Studies (IES)^[31]
• University Computer Centre (UCC)^[32]
• Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO)^{[citation needed]}
• Institute of Environmental Health and Environmental Justice (IEHEJ) ^[33]

University Library

Main article: Federal University of Technology Owerri Library

The University Library serves as the pivot of academic pursuit. It was opened to students at the Lake Nwaebere campus on 9 November 1981. The pioneer librarian was Mr Joseph Chike Anafulu. The library has three main blocks: Library Phases II & IV and the E-library.

Teaching Hospital

In 2023, the Federal Medical Centre Owerri was officially upgraded and renamed the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri (FUTHO) to serve as the primary teaching hospital for FUTO's College of Medicine. The upgrade was part of a federal initiative to expand access to medical education and improve healthcare services in southeastern Nigeria.^[34][35][36]

List of programmes/ courses

School of Agriculture And Agricultural Technology (SAAT)

1. Agricultural Economics^[37]
2. Agricultural Extension^[38]
3. Animal Science and Technology^[39]
4. Crop Science and Technology^[40]
5. Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology^[41]
6. Forestry and Wildlife Technology^[42]
7. Soil Science and Technology^[43]

School of Health Technology (SOHT)

1. Dental Technology^[44]
2. Environmental Health Science^[45]
3. Optometry^[46]
4. Prosthetics and Orthotics^[47]
5. Public Health Technology^[48]

School of Basic Medical Science (SBMS)

1. School of Basic Medical Science^[49]

School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT)

1. Computer Science^[50]
2. Cyber Security^[51]
3. Information Technology^[52]
4. Software Engineering^[53]

School of Biological Science (SOBS)

1. Biochemistry^[54]
2. Biology^[55]
3. Biotechnology^[56]
4. Microbiology^[57]
5. Forensic Science^[58]

School of Management Technology (SMAT)

1. Financial Management Technology^[59]
2. Management Technology^[60]
3. Maritime Management Technology^[61]
4. Project Management Technology^[62]
5. Transport Management Technology^[63]

School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET)

1. Agricultural and Bio resources Engineering^[64]
2. Biomedical Engineering ^[65]
3. Chemical Engineering^[66]
4. Civil Engineering^[67]
5. Electrical and Electronics Engineering^[68]
6. Food Science and technology^[69]
7. Material and Metallurgical Engineering^[70]
8. Mechanical Engineering^[71]
9. Mechatronic Engineering^[72]
10. Petroleum Engineering^[73]
11. Polymer and Textile Engineering^[74]

School of Physical Science (SOPS)

1. Chemistry^[75]
2. Geology^[76]
3. Mathematics^[77]
4. Physics^[78]
5. Science Laboratory Technology^[79]
6. Statistics^[80]

School of Electrical Systems Engineering Technology (SESET)

1. School of Electrical Systems Engineering Technology (SESET)^[81]

School of Environmental Science (SOES)

1. Architecture^[82]
2. Building Technology^[83]
3. Environmental Technology^[84]
4. Quantity Surveying^[85]
5. Surveying and Geoinformatics^[86]
6. Urban and Regional Planning^[87]

School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS)

• PG School^[88]

Directorate of General Studies

• General Studies^[89]

Inaugural lectures

The following inaugural lectures have been presented in the university:

Past Inaugural Lectures of FUTO

Lecturer	Topic	Date
C.O.G. Obah	Communication in the service of a Nation	Dec 17, 1986.
E.O.I Banigo	Food Processing and Preservation, Paths to self Sufficiency	January 18, 1989.
V.O Nwoko	Where Rust Doth Corrupt	Nov. 14, 1990
S.C.O Ugbolue	In the thrones of Polymer and Textiles
O.O Onyemobi	Mineral Resources Exploitation, Processing and Utilization : A Sine Qua Nun for Nigeria's Industrial Development	July 17, 2002
A.B.I Udedibie	In Search of Food: FUTO and the Nutritional Challenge of Canavalia Seeds	Sept. 18, 2003
E.O.N Okorafor	Expendable Polystyrene Pattern Casting Process: A revolution in metal casting	March 17, 2004
P.B.U Achi	Acquisition of Indigenous Machinery Design Manufacturing: The Engineering Education and Training Perspective	June 28, 2004
M.I Nwufor	Securing the Harvest to ensure food for all : A Plant pathologist's Perspective
Iloeje, M. U.	The Chicken or the Egg: Nature and Nurture: New Genetic Spreadsheets and Gene Pools in the Breeding and Evolution of a New Nigeria-Man	Nov. 17, 2004
Uzuegbu, J. O.	Salvaging Our Food from Fungal Rot, to Ensure Food Security	Oct. 29, 2008
C.S Nwadiaro	Inland water Data base as a Sine Qua Non for Fisheries Development in Nigeria	March 7, 2009
M.C Ofoh	Food Security and Mitigation of Climate change through ecosystem based agriculture	May 27, 2009
Okoro, C. C.	Universities as Effective Centres for Science and Technology Development	Feb. 29, 2009
Anyanwu, B. N.	Instilling Moral Ethnics in the University Community: A Sine Qua Non for National Growth and Development	June 10, 2010
Onuoha, Goddy N.	The Chemical Pathway: Small Changes that made a Difference[90]	March 27, 2013
Eze, Christopher C	Agricultural Finance: a Panacea for Agricultural and Rural Development (24th Inaugural Lecture)	March 26, 2014
Agwu, Amadi N	Environmental Health and Sanitation as Panacea to Disease Control and Prevention	July 23, 2014
Onyeka, Eucheria U	Food Security: Concerns and Comforts in Food Processing[citation needed]	April 27, 2016
Asoegwu, S. N.	Leveraging Food Security Challenges in Nigeria:Through Agricultural Production, Processing and Storage for Mitigating Economic Recession	Oct, 24, 2018
Dozie, I. N. S.	Microorangisms, Microbial Products and Chronic Disabling Diseases of Humans: New Insights [citation needed]	June 26, 2019
Oti, N. N.	Man and His Environment: A Soil Scientist's Search for Answers	Sept 18, 2019

Vice-chancellors

• Prof. U.D. Gomwalk (1980–1986)^[91]
• Prof. Amah Nduka (1986–1991)^[92]
• Prof.C. O.G. Oba (1992–1999)^{[citation needed]}
• Prof. Jude Njoku (2000–2005)^[93]
• Prof. C.E.O. Onwuliri (2006–2011)^{[citation needed]}
• Prof. Chigozie C. Asiabaka (2011–2016)^[94]
• Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Eze (2016–2021)^{[citation needed]}
• Prof. Nnenna Oti (2021–present)

Deputy Vice Chancellors from 1993

Names of Deputy Vice Chancellors	Post	Year
Prof.  J.O. Duru	Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic)	1993-1997
Prof. S.C.O Ugbolue	Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration)	1993-1997
Prof. M.U. Iloeje	DVC (Academic)	1997-2001
Prof.  Jude E. Njoku	DVC (Adm)	1997-2001
Prof. A.B.I. Udedibie	DVC (Acad)	2001-2005
Prof.  I.C. Ogwude	DVC (Adm)	2001-2005
Prof.  Ebong T. Eshett	DVC (Acad)	2006-2010
Prof.  Martin I. Nwufo	DVC (Adm)	2006-2010
Engr. Prof. O.N. Oguoma	DVC (Acad)	2010-2011
Prof. G.I. Nwankwor	DVC (Adm)	2010-2011
Prof. (Mrs.) Rose N. Nwabueze	DVC(Adm)	July 2011- Sept 2013
Prof. B.N. Onwuagba	DVC(Acad)	2011-2015
Prof. F.C. Eze	DVC (Adm)	Sept. 13, 2013 -  June 18, 2016
Prof. Okoro Ogbobe	DVC (Acad)	Sept. 7, 2015-Dec. 15, 2017
Prof.  Israel C. Ndukwe	DVC (Adm)	July 19, 2016- July 18, 2018
Prof. Ndukwe J. Okeudo[95]	DVC (Acad)	2018-2020
Prof J.S. Orebiyi[96]	DVC (Adm)	2018 to date
Prof. Bede C. Anusionwu[97][96]	DVC (Research, Development &Innovation)	2018 to date
Prof. Nnenna Oti[98][99]	DVC (Acad)	2020 to date

Partnership

In June 2025, the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) received a donation of digital switches and access points from Interswitch and Cisco. This was part of a joint initiative by the companies to boost digital infrastructure across five Nigerian tertiary institutions, aimed at enhancing the university's network and IT programs.^[100]

Nigerian universities ranking

The National University Commission (NUC), the body responsible for universities in Nigeria, has not done an official ranking of Nigerian universities in over 14 years.^[101]

However, FUTO is currently ranked the 24th best university in Nigeria, according to 4icu.org.ng.^[102]

Notable alumni

• Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji - Speaker, Abia House of Assembly^[103]
• Ndubuisi Ekekwe – professor^[103]
• Paul Obiefule – football player^[103]
• Nnenna Oti – Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri^[104]

See also

• List of universities in Nigeria
• Education in Nigeria