By The Metro 
The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has secured approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence six new full-time programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels from the 2026/2027 academic session.
The newly approved programmes include Bachelor’s degrees in Speech Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy, which the institution said were introduced to support the training of skilled manpower in the two fields.
According to a statement by the university’s spokesperson, Dr Benedicta Ehanire, the programmes reflect the institution’s efforts to pioneer the policy initiative of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, on developing skilled personnel in the two areas of study.
She said the programmes were designed to address the shortage of experts in the disciplines within Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
Other undergraduate programmes approved by the NUC are B.Sc. International Relations, B.Sc. Intelligence and Security Studies, B.Ed. Primary Education and B.N.Sc. Nursing Science, which will be offered in collaboration with the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
At the postgraduate level, the commission also approved the University’s Centre of Excellence in Space Science Technology to offer Master’s and PhD degrees in Remote Sensing and Aeronautics Engineering.
Reacting to the approval, Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Edoba Omoregie, appreciated the NUC for the approval and reiterated the institution’s determination to sustain its position as a first-rate manpower training and development hub through its diverse and extensive academic programmes.