Sanwo Olu Rewards LASU’s Top Graduates With ₦20 Million Each for Academic Excellence.
Lagos State Governor and Visitor to Lagos State University (LASU), Babajide Sanwo Olu, has awarded ₦20 million each to the university’s overall best graduating students for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
The governor announced the personal cash gifts on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, during LASU’s 29th and 30th combined convocation ceremonies at the university’s main campus in Ojo, Lagos. The development was reported by The Sun, Vanguard, P.M. News, QED and Leadership.
The beneficiaries are Ayilara Lawal Olawale, who emerged as LASU’s overall best graduating student for the 2024/2025 academic session, and Adebanjo Samuel Oluolamide, who took the same honour for the 2025/2026 session.
Olawale, a graduate of the Department of Project Management, finished with an exceptional 4.96 CGPA and First Class honours. Oluolamide, from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, recorded an even higher 4.97 CGPA, also graduating with First Class honours. LASU confirmed both achievements through its official communications.
The two awards bring Sanwo-Olu’s personal financial reward for the university’s top academic performers to ₦40 million.
The recognition came as LASU celebrated one of the largest graduating cohorts in its history. According to reports on the combined convocation, 20,604 students graduated across the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
For the 2024/2025 session, LASU recorded 7,621 first degree graduates, including 262 First Class graduates. For the 2025/2026 session, 8,653 students completed first degree programmes, with 232 graduating with First Class honours.
Beyond the financial value of the gesture, the awards highlight the importance of recognizing academic excellence at a time when Nigerian universities continue to grapple with funding pressures, graduate unemployment and the challenge of translating educational achievement into meaningful economic opportunities.
The recognition of Olawale and Oluolamide also places attention on the potential of Nigeria’s young graduates to contribute to the country’s development when academic excellence is matched with opportunities for innovation, research and professional growth.
For Lagos State University, the combined convocation represents both a celebration of its graduates and a reflection of the institution’s continuing role in producing highly trained young Nigerians across diverse fields.