In pursuance of its vision to be "an international centre of excellence in learning, research, probity and service to humanity", the University of Ilorin has contributed in several ways to the socio-economic and political development of the country. Not only has it produced, since its establishment about 40 years ago, high level manpower for the various sectors of the nation's economy, the better by far citadel has also churned out several graduates who have been active participants in the country's political space. Through an excellent Town and Gown relationship, the University has also advanced the overall development of its host community.

But these aforementioned contributions are traditional roles ordinarily expected of universities all over the world, which are often taken for granted. However, a world-class university, the status of which Unilorin is poised to attain, is the one that carves a distinctive niche for itself in the area of development-focused research aimed ultimately at tackling some of the pressing challenges in its immediate environment. And it is a thing of joy to note that the University of Ilorin is already keying into this area of endeavour. Three recent developments signpost a renewed commitment by the University to register its relevance in the nation's sustained efforts to overcome some developmental challenges like epileptic power supply and unreliable healthcare delivery system.

At its 247th meeting on June 30, 2015, the Senate of the University approved a proposal to establish a centre for renewable energy. This will be part of the University's contribution to the government's concerted effort to find a lasting solution to the nation's energy challenges that are fast assuming intractable dimensions.

When established, the Unilorin Renewable Energy Centre (UREC) will conduct research and training that will enhance the development and application of renewable energy resources as important component of alternative energy sources that is desired for the realization of a stable and reliable energy sector in the country. Above all, the centre will promote renewable energies development with the aim of making rural areas self-sufficient in energy and food production. At the same meeting, the University Senate also approved the establishment of a Laboratory to Industrial Product "LABTOP" Centre to create a link between the University and industry for the purpose of promoting wide knowledge and application of the outcomes of research with potential for industrial application.

It is worthy of note that most researches carried out in most universities in the country have remained largely academic exercises that are often left to gather dust on laboratory shelves. They don't always serve any utilitarian purpose other than journal publications for the career advancement of the concerned researchers. But with the Laboratory to Industrial Product initiative, the University of Ilorin is well on the path to impacting more positively on the Nigerian society since the research efforts of its researchers would soon be turned into products that would be locally and internationally relevant. According to the Steering Committee of the Unilorin Laboratory to Industrial Product Project, the envisaged partnership between the University and industries would be a logical strategy for building technological capacity and growth of industry within and outside Nigeria and the world at large.

Also, the establishment of the LABTOP Centre will be in synch with a strategy for the involvement of the University in the industrial development of the country. It will also expand the scope of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the University and at the same time enhance Town and Gown collaboration and further improve the quality of the University graduates.

Closely related to these laudable initiatives is the ongoing effort by the Unilorin Ebola Research Committee to develop an anti-ebola vaccine. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja recently, said that the Committee was working round the clock to produce the vaccine in a not-too-distant future.

Added to all these are the University's well-documented giant strides in the area of advancing the vistas of the nation's revenue generation efforts. The University is already engaged in certain economic ventures that, at maturation, could directly enhance its internally generated revenue and, by extension, boost the nation's larger economy. The Unilorin oil palm plantation, the Moringa plantation and the Moringa industry, the Jatropha plantation, the Teak plantation and other economic trees that are the wonderful initiatives of the University administration are some of the potential revenue earners that will, in due course, take Unilorin to greater heights, revenue wise.