Federal University of Technology Owerri
The Federal University of Technology Owerri is a federal government university in Owerri West, Owerri, the capital of Imo State, Nigeria. The university is bounded by the communities of Eziobodo, Ihiagwa, Obinze, Okolochi and Emeabiam. It is the premier federal university of technology in the South-East and South-South parts of Nigeria.
The university is the oldest university of technology in Nigeria and was established in 1980 by executive fiat with the composition and appointment of the first provisional council by Nigeria's first Executive President, Shehu Shagari. It became the first of three such universities set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria which sought to establish a University of Technology in each geo-political region, particularly in a state which did not have a conventional university.
FUTO began with 225 students and 60 staff. Like other federal universities in Nigeria, FUTO is headed by a Chancellor who is usually a royal father and followed by a Vice-Chancellor who oversees the daily activities of the university.
The University Senate is the highest decision-making arm of the university. FUTO students are fondly called Futoites and currently there are over 25,000 students. FUTO has over 50 professors. The current vice-chancellor is Professor Nnenna Nnannaya Oti.
History
The university was founded in 1980. It later merged with Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri, absorbing the latter's students.FUTO is one of the premier technological universities in western Africa. Its student body comprises people from all over west Africa and beyond. It is the only federal university of technology in the south-east of Nigeria, and one of the oldest in West Africa
FUTO has been a partnering university to the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board. JUPEB offers A/Level Programs to Students seeking admission into the Federal University of Technology, Owerri via Direct Entry. FUTO currently admit students into the JUPEB Program Yearly. On 13 April 2021, Prof Nnenna Oti was elected Vice-Chancellor to replace Francis Chukwuemeka Eze whose tenure expired on 19 June 2021.
Schools
- School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology
- School of Engineering and Engineering Technology
- School of Electrical Systems and Engineering Technology
- School of Physical Sciences
- School of Biological Sciences
- School of Logistics and Innovation Technology
- School of Health Technology
- School of Environmental Sciences
- School of Basic Medical Sciences
- School of Information and Communication Technology
- College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Institutes and Academic Support Centres
- Centre for Agricultural Research
- Centre for Continuing Education
- Centre for Entrepreneurial and Vocational Studies
- Centre for Industrial Studies
- Centre for Energy and Power Systems Research
- Centre for Research and International Development
- Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies
- Information and Communication Technology Centre
- Institute of Erosion Studies
- University Computer Centre
- Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office
- Institute of Environmental Health and Environmental Justice
University Library
The University Library serves as the pivot of academic pursuit. It was opened to students at the Lake Nwaebere campus on 9 November 1981. The pioneer librarian was Mr Joseph Chike Anafulu. The library has three main blocks: Library Phases II & IV and the E-library.Teaching Hospital
In 2023, the Federal Medical Centre Owerri was officially upgraded and renamed the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Owerri to serve as the primary teaching hospital for FUTO's College of Medicine. The upgrade was part of a federal initiative to expand access to medical education and improve healthcare services in southeastern Nigeria.List of programmes/courses
School of Agriculture And Agricultural Technology- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Extension
- Animal Science and Technology
- Crop Science and Technology
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology
- Forestry and Wildlife Technology
- Soil Science and Technology
- Dental Technology
- Environmental Health Science
- Optometry
- Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Public Health Technology
- School of Basic Medical Science
School of Biological Science
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Microbiology
- Forensic Science
- Financial Management Technology
- Management Technology
- Maritime Management Technology
- Project Management Technology
- Transport Management Technology
- Agricultural and Bio resources Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering
- Food Science and technology
- Material and Metallurgical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronic Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Polymer and Textile Engineering
- Chemistry
- Geology
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Science Laboratory Technology
- Statistics
- School of Electrical Systems Engineering Technology
- Architecture
- Building Technology
- Environmental Technology
- Quantity Surveying
- Surveying and Geoinformatics
- Urban and Regional Planning
- PG School
- General Studies
Inaugural lectures
The following inaugural lectures have been presented in the university:| Lecturer | Topic | Date |
| C.O.G. Obah | Communication in the service of a Nation | Dec 17, 1986. |
| E.O.I Banigo | Food Processing and Preservation, Paths to self Sufficiency | January 18, 1989. |
| V.O Nwoko | Where Rust Doth Corrupt | Nov. 14, 1990 |
| S.C.O Ugbolue | In the thrones of Polymer and Textiles | |
| O.O Onyemobi | Mineral Resources Exploitation, Processing and Utilization : A Sine Qua Nun for Nigeria's Industrial Development | July 17, 2002 |
| A.B.I Udedibie | In Search of Food: FUTO and the Nutritional Challenge of Canavalia Seeds | Sept. 18, 2003 |
| E.O.N Okorafor | Expendable Polystyrene Pattern Casting Process: A revolution in metal casting | March 17, 2004 |
| P.B.U Achi | Acquisition of Indigenous Machinery Design Manufacturing: The Engineering Education and Training Perspective | June 28, 2004 |
| M.I Nwufor | Securing the Harvest to ensure food for all : A Plant pathologist's Perspective | |
| Iloeje, M. U. | The Chicken or the Egg: Nature and Nurture: New Genetic Spreadsheets and Gene Pools in the Breeding and Evolution of a New Nigeria-Man | Nov. 17, 2004 |
| Uzuegbu, J. O. | Salvaging Our Food from Fungal Rot, to Ensure Food Security | Oct. 29, 2008 |
| C.S Nwadiaro | Inland water Data base as a Sine Qua Non for Fisheries Development in Nigeria | March 7, 2009 |
| M.C Ofoh | Food Security and Mitigation of Climate change through ecosystem based agriculture | May 27, 2009 |
| Okoro, C. C. | Universities as Effective Centres for Science and Technology Development | Feb. 29, 2009 |
| Anyanwu, B. N. | Instilling Moral Ethnics in the University Community: A Sine Qua Non for National Growth and Development | June 10, 2010 |
| Onuoha, Goddy N. | The Chemical Pathway: Small Changes that made a Difference | March 27, 2013 |
| Eze, Christopher C | Agricultural Finance: a Panacea for Agricultural and Rural Development | March 26, 2014 |
| Agwu, Amadi N | Environmental Health and Sanitation as Panacea to Disease Control and Prevention | July 23, 2014 |
| Onyeka, Eucheria U | Food Security: Concerns and Comforts in Food Processing | April 27, 2016 |
| Asoegwu, S. N. | Leveraging Food Security Challenges in Nigeria:Through Agricultural Production, Processing and Storage for Mitigating Economic Recession | Oct, 24, 2018 |
| Dozie, I. N. S. | Microorangisms, Microbial Products and Chronic Disabling Diseases of Humans: New Insights | June 26, 2019 |
| Oti, N. N. | Man and His Environment: A Soil Scientist's Search for Answers | Sept 18, 2019 |
Vice-chancellors
- Prof. U.D. Gomwalk
- Prof. Amah Nduka
- Prof.C. O.G. Oba
- Prof. Jude Njoku
- Prof. C.E.O. Onwuliri
- Prof. Chigozie C. Asiabaka
- Prof. Francis Chukwuemeka Eze
- Prof. Nnenna Oti
Partnership
In June 2025, the Federal University of Technology Owerri received a donation of digital switches and access points from Interswitch and Cisco. This was part of a joint initiative by the companies to boost digital infrastructure across five Nigerian tertiary institutions, aimed at enhancing the university's network and IT programs.Nigerian universities ranking
The National University Commission (NUC), the body responsible for universities in Nigeria, has not done an official ranking of Nigerian universities in over 14 years.However, FUTO is currently ranked the 24th best university in Nigeria, according to unirank.org
Notable alumni
- Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji - Speaker, Abia House of Assembly
- Paul Obiefule – football player
- Nnenna Oti – Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri
- Stanley Oduah - CoFounder, Routelink Group
- Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe