Yaba College of Technology, popularly known as YABATECH, was founded in 1947, and is Nigeria's first higher educational institution. It is located in
Yaba,
Lagos
Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
. , it had a student enrollment of over 16,000. It also has a secondary school and a staff primary school.
Overview
Yaba College of Technology was established in 1947 as a successor of
Yaba Higher College. It attained autonomous status in 1969 by virtue of Decree 23 which granted it the mandate to provide full-time and part-time courses of instruction and training in technology,
applied science
Applied science is the application of the scientific method and scientific knowledge to attain practical goals. It includes a broad range of disciplines, such as engineering and medicine. Applied science is often contrasted with basic science, ...
, commerce and management, agricultural production and distribution; and for research.
Yaba College of Technology is the first higher institution in
Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
to establish a Centre for
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value in ways that generally entail beyond the minimal amount of risk (assumed by a traditional business), and potentially involving values besides simply economic ones.
An entrepreneu ...
Development, with linkages with the world of commerce and industry. The centre offers compulsory courses which must be taken by all students throughout their stay in the college.
There is a Quality Assurance Unit in the college which monitors the quality of academic service delivery.
The Applied Research and Technology Innovation (ARTI) Unit was established to promote research and linkages with private sector organizations for the exploitation and use of research. ARTI also assists to promote linkages between students of Yabatech and students of other institutions especially in the area of research.
Free medical service is provided at the Medical Centre, which is open 24/7. Sports facilities are provided at the sport complex which is located at the centre of the campus. The college has won the
Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association five times out of sixteen editions of the competition.
The college has a second campus at
Epe, this campus is home to the Department of Agricultural Technology and
Michael Otedola Information and Communication Centre.
The College is currently headed by Dr. (Engr.) Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul.

The name was changed to Federal Polytechnic Yaba in 1979, but changed back to the current one in 1980. The over 70 years Institution has been headed by a number of indigenous principals and rectors:
* Dr E.A Akinleye – Principal (1970–1975)
* Mr G.M Okufi – 1st Rector (1975–1985)
* Dr Philip Adegbile – Rector (1985–1993)
* Mrs F.A Odugbesan – Rector (1993–2001)
* Mr
Olubunmi Owoso – Rector (2001–2009)
* Dr (Mrs) M.K Ladipo – Rector (2009–2017)
* Engr. Obafemi Owoseni Omokungbe – Rector (2018–2023)
* Mr. Uduak Iyang Udoh- Ag. Rector (Jan–May 2023)
* Dr (Engr) Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul (Incumbent)
Courses and programmes
Yaba College of Technology has eight schools and thirty-four academic departments with a total of sixty-four accredited programmes, across ND, HND and Post-HND levels. The college also offers certificate courses.
YABATECH offers B.Sc. (Ed) courses in Technical and Vocational education and Postgraduate Diplomas in Engineering. The two programmes are run in conjunction with the
University of Nigeria,
Nsukka and the
Federal University of Technology, Akure, respectively. The student population which is made up of both full-time and part-time students is in the range of 15,000, while the staff strength is 1,600.
In April 2015, the
National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) approved five new courses for Yaba College of Technology. The courses are Higher National Diploma in
Mass Communication
Mass communication is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media to large population segments. It utilizes various forms of media as technology has made the dissemination of information more efficient. Primary examples o ...
, Banking and Finance,
Metallurgy Engineering, National Diploma in Welding and Fabrication and Public Administration.
In June 2019, Yaba College of Technology made the move to partner with a Nigerian security solutions company to design and implement a Security Management Certification Programme. According to the duo, the programme targets individuals, who desire to be modern security managers and those in active security employment or planning to venture into the security industry from managerial levels. Speaking at an event organised recently by the institutions to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Director, Yabatech Consult Limited, Uduak Inyang-Udoh, said the collaboration would bridge the knowledge gap in attaining global security standard.
Library
The Yabatech library is the nerve center of academic activities in the college. The library holds large volumes of collection in print and non print formats to cater for the information needs of staff, students ad the entire college community.
Yabatech Radio
Yabatech Radio (89.3 MHz FM) is the official campus radio of Yaba College of Technology, covering part of
Lagos State
Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...
. The radio station officially came to life under the administration of Engr. Femi Omokungbe as Rector, Yaba College of Technology.
The radio station was established primarily to serve the YABATECH community and its neighboring communities through local programme development, exposition of local talents, music, news, weather, and market information as well as giving a voice to the populace. In addition, it serves as a training ground for students of the mass communication department of the college.
Notable alumni
*
Olusegun Adejumo, visual artist
*
Josy Ajiboye
Josiah Akanbi "Josy" Ajiboye (born 1948) is a Nigerian painter, illustrator, graphic designer and cartoonist, sociopolitical cartoonist who worked at the ''Daily Times of Nigeria, Daily Times''. He was a cartoonist at the ''Daily Times of Nigeri ...
, cartoonist
*
Adebanji Alade, president of the
Royal Institute of Oil Painters
*
Ayodeji Balogun, entrepreneur, commodity trader and CEO
*
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, actress
*
Fecko, musician, emcee
*
Gbenga Ibikunle, economist
*
Ruth Kadiri, actress and film producer
*
Kaffy, dancer
*
Jide Kosoko, actor, director and producer
*
Bidemi Olaoba, gospel singer, songwriter and composer
*
Tim Owhefere, politician
*
Niyi Akinmolayan, filmmaker and director
Architecture and monuments
File:New Building, Yabatech.jpg, New Building, Yabatech
File:Yabatech Library.jpg, Yabatech Library
File:Mechanical workshop, Yabatech.jpg, Mechanical workshop, Yabatech
File:School of Art, Design and Printing, YabaTech 2.jpg, School of Art, Design and Printing, YabaTech 2
File:School of Art, Design and Printing, YabaTech.jpg, School of Art, Design and Printing, YabaTech
File:School of environmental studiesSchool of environmental studies, YabaTech.jpg, School of environmental studiesSchool of environmental studies, YabaTech
File:Dr Philip Adegbile Sport Complex, Yaba Tech 2.jpg, Dr Philip Adegbile Sport Complex, Yaba Tech 2
File:Yaba Tech second gate.jpg, Yaba Tech second gate
File:YabaTech Library.jpg, YabaTech Library
See also
*
List of polytechnics in Nigeria
*
Yaba Higher College alumni
References
External links
*
Yaba College of Technology official websiteYaba College of Technologyon the African Studies Center
{{Authority control
Technological universities in Nigeria
Universities and colleges established in 1947
1947 establishments in Nigeria
Public universities in Nigeria
Education in Lagos State
Science and technology in Nigeria