The Imo State University (IMSU) in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria was established in 1981 through law No. 4 passed by the Imo State House of Assembly. The university admitted the first intake of 392 pioneer students on 23 October 1981.
After the creation of Abia State in 1991, the Uturu campus of the university became the Abia State University.
Imo State University is a fully functional university. Most of the programmes of the university have obtained full accreditation from National Universities Commission of Nigeria.
The result of the 1999/2000 accreditation exercise of the National Universities Commission confirmed the high rate and acceptance of the university by the Nigerian public. The university was ranked first among all state universities in Nigeria and the 10th overall among both state and federal universities.
Imo State University at Owerri was temporary accommodated within the campus of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education from May to December 1992. The University later moved to its own premises of four building within the Federal University of Technology Owerri, at the Lake Nwaebere Campus. All the translocation of the Federal University to the permanent site, Ihiagwa near Owerri, the Lake Nwaebere Campus of that university was then acquired for Imo State University. The first batch of students was allocated to the Imo State University by JAMB in February 1993. The National Universities Commission also formally approved the re-establishment of the University in 1992 at the Lake Nwaebere Campus.
Consequently, the government of Chief Evan Enwerem, in April, 1991 did not waste time in filling the vacuum by re-establishing the University in Owerri. Two options were considered by the government in the re-establishment of Imo State University at Owerri. The first option was to move at once, all staff and students at the various stages of their programmes in Uturu who want to remain in Imo State University, now in Owerri.
