President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the Federal University of Environment and Technology Establishment Bill 2024 into law, marking the creation of a specialized institution in Ogoni, Rivers State.
The presidency announced the development via a statement on X, describing it as a fulfillment of a longstanding promise by Tinubu to the Ogoni people.
“Promise Kept. Assented into Law by President Bola Tinubu. The Federal University of Environment and Technology (TAI) Establishment Bill 2024,” the statement read.
For years, Ogoni indigenes and advocacy groups have pressed successive administrations for the establishment of this university, aimed at addressing the region’s unique environmental challenges. The bill was introduced in the National Assembly and passed by the Senate in March 2022, but it remained unsigned until now.
The university will focus on awarding first degrees, postgraduate degrees, and diplomas, with a particular emphasis on environmental technology and research.
Ogoni, located in the Niger Delta, is an oil-rich region that has long endured the devastating effects of environmental degradation, including oil spills, water pollution, and the contamination of fishing grounds and farmland.
The region has also faced challenges from gas flaring.
