The Department of Civil Engineering first existed in 1978/79 Session as a Civil Engineering Unit temporarily based in the Department of Agricultural and Forest Engineering.  Then as a Unit, it was offering service courses to all other programmes within the Faculty of Technology.  It was upgraded as a full-fledged Department in 1980 based on the recommendations of COREN and NUC.

The Department was to develop, teach and carry out research on Civil Engineering subjects.  The primary objective of the Department is to provide civil engineering programmes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels which will be internationally recognized and at the same time relevant to the needs of a developing country like Nigeria.

The curriculum provides the student with a basic understanding of all areas of civil engineering practice.  The following three options are available to the students during the final year:

1. Structures and Foundation Engineering

2. Highways and Transportation Engineering

3. Water Resources and Environmental Engineering

The pioneering students of the Department were admitted during the 1981/1982 Session and the first set graduated in 1986.  Reports from industries both within and outside the country on the twenty-four sets of students that have graduated so far from the Department have been excellent.

The Postgraduate programme commenced in 1997/98 Session with the pioneering M.Sc. students graduating in February 2000. 

All these graduates and postgraduates of the Department are successful and have risen to responsible and leadership positions in their different careers in consulting, construction, oil and gas, telecommunication and manufacturing companies. They are also found in the academia, government ministries and parastatals.

The Department has over the years attracted staff of high caliber that have in addition to their teaching and research activities made contributions to conferences, learned and professional institutions and government committees. The extent of effective innovativeness and evidence of continued intellectual productivity of the lecturers were made manifest in the quantity and quality of their publications in both local and foreign journals.

Over the years, researches have been initiated and built up in the following areas:

(i)         Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement

(ii)        Traffic Congestion Studies

(iii)       Flood and Erosion Studies

(iv)       Pavement Evaluation Studies

(v)        Development of Business Incubation Centres

(vi)       Value Engineering

(vii)      Waste Management

(viii)     Bio-technology

(ix)       Structural Failure Studies

(x)        Structural Design of Buildings and Bridges

(xi)       Structural Analysis

(xii)      Geo-technical and Geo-chemical Studies

(xiii)     Water Quality Management

(xiv)     Modelling, Simulation and Optimization Studies

(xv)      Environmental Studies for Civil Engineering Infrastructures

(xvi)     Construction Materials

              VISION OF THE DEPARTMENT

To be a world-class institution for academic excellence in teaching, research and community service in Civil Engineering for the benefit of mankind.         

              MISSION OF THE DEPARTMENT

1. To expand the frontiers of knowledge through provision of excellent conditions for learning and research.

2. To produce graduates that would contribute at the very highest level to national and global development.

3. To produce graduates who are worthy in learning, character and sound judgment.

4. To contribute to the transformation of society through creativity and innovation.

5. To serve as a dynamic custodian of society’s salutary values and thus sustain its integrity.