The Oldest Polytechnic in Nigeria: Yaba Tech

We have listed federal polytechnics in Nigeria, private, state polytechnics in the country as well as different universities in Nigeria but have you ever wondered which is the oldest polytechnic in Nigeria? Well, you shall learn that in this write-up.

As we are aware that the white men who settled and colonized Nigeria brought western education into the country. They first established primary schools and secondary schools before institutions of higher learning.

WHICH POLYTECHNIC IS THE OLDEST IN NIGERIA?

For historical purposes, the oldest polytechnic in Nigeria which doubles to be the first in the country is Yaba Tech. It has also been ranked 1st among all as the best polytechnic in Nigeria this 2024.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FIRST POLYTECHNIC ESTABLISHED IN NIGERIA

It began as Yaba Higher College in the year 1934 by a decree and after fourteen years, the students of the college were transferred to another state which saw the establishment of the University of Ibadan in the year 1948. Prior to the move, the Yaba Higher College was restructured and renamed Yaba Technical Institute.

As time passed by, the students didn’t fancy the name being called Yaba Technical Institute and agitated for a change to its current name Yaba Tech which was adopted in 1963. The name was later changed to Federal Polytechnic Yaba after thirteen years but was reverted to Yaba Tech.

The main objectives of this oldest polytechnic in Nigeria is to provide full time and part-time courses of instruction and training in Technology, Commerce and Management, and in such other field of applied learning relevant to the need of the development of Nigeria in the areas of industrial and Agricultural production and distribution and for research in the development and adaptation of techniques as the Council of the College may from time to time determine.

It was in pursuit of these objectives that the College has continued to develop in structure and today is made up of nine(9) academic units called Schools, headed by Deans and Thirty-four(34) Departments headed by Heads of Departments currently.

The structure of training in this institution of learning, was to bring the different training departments of the different public offices together, like the Marine sector, railways, land and survey, post and telegraph, etc.

Although, Yaba Tech is known to be the oldest polytechnic in Nigeria, it has produced some of the brightest brains who occupy strategic places in the country.

FULL LIST OF COURSES OFFERED IN YABA TECH

There are accredited courses in Yaba Tech that are offered for students to choose from. These Yaba College of Technology courses include:

• ACCOUNTANCY
• AGRICULTURAL AND BIO-ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
• ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY
• ARTS AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
• BANKING AND FINANCE
• BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
• BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT
• CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• CIVIL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• COMPUTER ENGINEERING
• COMPUTER SCIENCE
• ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• ESTATE MANAGEMENT AND VALUATION
• FASHION DESIGN AND CLOTHING TECHNOLOGY
• FOOD TECHNOLOGY
• HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT
• INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• LEISURE AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT
• MARINE ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• MARKETING
• MASS COMMUNICATION
• MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• MECHATRONICS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
• NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
• OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
• POLYMER TECHNOLOGY
• PRINTING TECHNOLOGY
• PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• QUANTITY SURVEYING
• SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY
• STATISTICS
• SURVEYING AND GEO-INFORMATICS
• TEXTILES TECHNOLOGY
• URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING
• WELDING AND FABRICATION TECHNOLOGY

CONCLUSION

While other schools might want to refute this claim, Yaba Tech has and will always be tagged as the oldest and first polytechnic in the country. The school is also ranked as one of the best to attend with departments built with state of the art facilities.