Tonnie Iredia University of Communication, Benin City

Tonnie Iredia University of Communication (TIUC), Benin City, is a specialised private university primarily focused on media and communication-related disciplines. It is located in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. It is the first communication-based university in Nigeria.

Founder: Prof. Tonnie Iredia
Type: Private university
Date of establishment: March 3, 2025
Location: Oredo LGA, Benin City, Edo State

History

The vision to establish a university that primarily offers degrees in media and communication-related studies began a long time ago with Prof. Tonnie Osa Iredia. However, the plan was intensified by Iredia immediately after his retirement as the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in 2009.

He thereafter submitted an application for the establishment of the institution to the National Universities Commission (NUC). The NUC conducted inspections and made recommendations.

On March 3, 2025, President Bola Tinubu approved a provisional licence for the establishment of Tonnie Iredia University of Communication along with 10 other private universities during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The university received its operational licence from the Minister of Education, Dr. Morufu Tunji Alausa, on April 30, 2025, at an event in Abuja attended by key stakeholders in the education sector.

Stakeholders in the communication sector, including the President and Chairman of Council of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, hailed the establishment of the institution, describing it as a “sector-specific form of education” which will produce industry-ready professionals to address contemporary market demands, as “it will deepen professionalism, enhance excellence in the work environment and boost productivity.”

Academic Programmes

TIUC is yet to commence enrolment at the time of publication, nor has it released the list of its academic programmes. However, as the name suggests, here are the likely courses you would find at a communication institution:

Journalism
Public Relations
Advertising
Broadcasting (Radio major)
Corporate Communication
Broadcasting (TV major)
Strategic Communication
Media Studies
Health Communication
Crisis & Risk Communication
AI & Communication
Digital Journalism
Political Communication
Intercultural Communication
Marketing Communication
Media Management
Branding & Advertising
Social Media Management
Communication for Development
Creative Writing
Digital Media Production
Multimedia & Web Design
Film Production

Founder of TIUC

Professor Tonnie Iredia is the founder of the institution. He was a former Director-General of NTA and later a faculty member at at least two Nigerian universities.

Opeyemi Quadri

Ope is a seasoned content creation specialist and researcher with over a decade of experience writing on education, student aid, and government policies. He is deeply passionate about education-related data.

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