Concerns over inadequate infrastructure in Nigeria’s public universities have resurfaced following complaints about seating arrangements at the recent convocation ceremony of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).
The debate was sparked on social media after education commentator Olúwatósìn Olaseinde questioned whether the university’s main convocation venue, the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, could adequately accommodate graduands and at least one family member each.
“The UNILAG J.F. Ade Ajayi auditorium doesn’t have enough capacity for the graduands and at least one family member?” Olaseinde asked in a post on X, drawing widespread reactions from alumni and attendees.
UNILAG, one of Nigeria’s largest and most competitive universities, produces thousands of graduates annually across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Education observers say the growing enrolment has placed significant pressure on existing ceremonial infrastructure.
Although the university often provides outdoor viewing arrangements through screens and public address systems, students and parents argue that such measures diminish the significance of convocation ceremonies, particularly for families attending for the first time.
Several respondents shared accounts of overcrowding and exclusion. A user identified as Tosin.X (@Dontee___) said many guests were forced to remain outside the auditorium. “Not at all. I went for my friend’s master’s convocation; we stayed outside,” the user wrote.
Another contributor, Lucky Chima (@Coachlucky_), noted that attendance planning often falls short of reality, particularly in a university with UNILAG’s large student population.
UNILAG, one of Nigeria’s most competitive federal universities, graduates thousands of students annually across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Education analysts say the growing number of graduands has placed increasing pressure on existing ceremonial infrastructure.
While the university typically provides outdoor viewing areas with public address systems and screens, critics argue that such arrangements diminish the symbolic importance of convocation ceremonies, especially for parents and guardians attending for the first time.
Observers note that the challenge is not unique to UNILAG, as many federal and state universities continue to rely on ageing facilities that have not expanded in line with rising enrolment figures.
The renewed debate has prompted calls for universities to invest in larger convocation venues, adopt multiple-session ceremonies, or redesign graduation formats to better accommodate students and their families.
For many stakeholders, the issue goes beyond seating logistics, raising broader questions about infrastructure development, student experience, and institutional pride within Nigeria’s higher education system.
