The Yobe State House of Assembly has pledged to increase budgetary support for Yobe State University and facilitate access to interventions from relevant development agencies.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Chiroma Mashio, made the commitment on Tuesday when the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Muhammad Tahir, led members of the institution’s management on a courtesy visit to the Assembly.

Mashio said the university would be invited to participate in the 2027 budget defence, assuring the management that the Assembly would consider the institution’s funding and developmental needs.

He said the lawmakers would also support the university in seeking interventions from agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

According to him, the Assembly would leverage platforms such as the Nigerian Speakers Conference to facilitate the university’s engagement with relevant development agencies.

Mashio congratulated Tahir on his appointment as the university’s fifth substantive Vice-Chancellor, describing his visit as timely given preparations for the 2027 budget.

He also urged the university’s management to provide expert recommendations to the state government on improving primary and secondary education.

The Speaker said weaknesses at the basic and secondary education levels could affect the quality of students admitted into tertiary institutions.

He urged the university’s professors and other experts to work with the government in addressing challenges affecting schools across the state.

Earlier, Tahir said the visit was intended to strengthen the relationship between the university and the Assembly, describing the lawmakers as partners and representatives of the people.

The Vice-Chancellor said his administration, which assumed office in January 2026, had embarked on initiatives aimed at improving academic standards, accountability and the university’s impact on its host community.

Tahir disclosed that the institution successfully conducted the first- and second-semester examinations for the 2025/2026 academic session and completed accreditation processes for Medical Laboratory Science and Radiography under its College of Medical Sciences.

He said 16 medical doctors had been sponsored for postgraduate training abroad, with seven currently studying at Integral University in Lucknow, India.

According to him, six additional doctors were scheduled to travel to Malaysia in the first week of October 2026 for further training.

Tahir attributed the foreign training programme to the support of Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni.

He added that 32 academic staff had received sponsorship for postgraduate training within Nigeria, while 70 academic and non-academic staff had benefited from postgraduate programmes conducted within the university.

The Vice-Chancellor also identified the commissioning of the permanent site of the Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre as another achievement of his administration.

He said the centre was constructed and equipped with support from Governor Buni.

Tahir further disclosed that six new postgraduate programmes were introduced during the 2025/2026 academic session, while the university also established a new Faculty of Computing.