Kwara State University (KWASU) has announced it will stop its Top-Up and Higher National Diploma (HND) Conversion programme from the 2025/2026 academic session. The decision follows a directive from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
In a statement released on Monday, the university’s Registrar, Dr. Kikelomo W. Sallee, said the move was necessary to comply with NUC regulations that govern university education across Nigeria.
“KWASU will discontinue the Top-Up/HND Conversion programme starting from the 2025/2026 academic session,” the statement read. “This action is in line with the guidelines issued by the National Universities Commission, the body responsible for regulating all universities in the country.”
The university noted that the NUC would issue further guidance on what will happen to students already enrolled in the programme.
“The NUC will provide directives on the status of current students on the programme at KWASU in due course,” the statement added.
The suspension is expected to affect many applicants who hoped to use the programme to convert their HND certificates to bachelor’s degrees. The pathway had grown popular among polytechnic graduates seeking to close the gap between HND and university qualifications in the job market.
While KWASU did not give the specific reason for the NUC’s directive, it reaffirmed its commitment to following regulatory rules.
“Kwara State University remains committed to upholding ethical standards and adhering to all policies set by the regulatory authority,” Dr. Sallee said.
KWASU is not the only institution taking this step. Al-Hikmah University, a private institution, also announced it would immediately stop admissions into its Top-Up degree programmes, citing the same NUC directive.
Al-Hikmah said future undergraduate admissions would now be processed only through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The university also warned the public against dealing with individuals or groups offering admissions outside the official process.
The National Universities Commission has not yet released a public explanation for the directive affecting both universities.
