The Cross River University of Technology was established in August 2002 by Cross River State Bill No. 9 recently amended as Bill No. 6 of 2004.  The Cross River University of Technology is an outcome of a merger of three former tertiary institutions (The Polytechnic, Calabar, the College of Education, Akamkpa and the Ibrahim Babangida College of Agriculture, Ovonum, Obubra) owned by the Cross River State Government. The university is established primarily to provide basic training and research and to impart research skills to equip Nigerians of various backgrounds in all areas of technology.  Emphasis is however placed on catchment areas of the university to enable the exploitation of the enormous natural resources for sustainable development of CrossRiverState. The university is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal.

The Cross River University of Technology began operations in September 2002. After one year of its existence, an in-house assessment was conducted during a visitation exercise. Emerging problems were identified and addressed. The law establishing the university, Bill No. 9 of 2002 was amended as Bill No. 6 of 2004 and structural reorganization and staff re-designation were effected.

The university began communications with the National Universities Commission (NUC) in February 2004 by submitting a letter of introduction and in May 2004 a letter requesting recognition was also sent to the NUC.  On October 11, 2004, the management of Cross River University of Technology visited the NUC and submitted a formal application for recognition in plenary. This was followed by a visit on April 15, 2005 by His Excellency Mr. Donald Duke, the then Executive Governor of CrossRiverState and the management of Cross River University of Technology to NUC to confirm readiness of the university to take off. Subsequently, NUC announced the recognition of Cross River University of Technology with effect from May 13, 2004. The university in 2004 applied for inclusion in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) brochure and was listed in the JAMB brochure for 2005/2006 session. Academic activities commenced in the university in the 2002/03 academic session and the first set of 347 students graduated on November 18, 2006.

The two main responsibilities of Cross River University of technology are to produce high quality and well-trained graduates and researchers well-equipped for the provision of quality life, food, fiber, and shelter for the people in a sustainable manner, using well researched techniques of Science and Technology.  In this regard, no person shall be required to satisfy requirements as to race (including ethnic grouping), sex, place of birth, family origin, religious or political persuasion as a condition of becoming or continuing as a student, the holder of a degree or other awards of the university, or of appointment or employment at the university.  In other words, no person shall be subjected to any disadvantage or accorded any disadvantage in relation to the university.This however does not prevent the university from imposing any disability or restriction on any person, where such a person willfully refuses or fails on grounds of religious belief or similar grounds to undertake duty generally and uniformly imposed on all persons or any group of them and which in the opinion of the university is reasonably justified in the national and State interest.

The law establishing Cross River University of Technology provides for 5 campuses as follows:

Calabar Campus (Main Campus) located at EkpoAbasi Street in Calabar South Local Government Area (occupying 178.8 hectares on the South Eastern end of the city of Calabar);

Obubra Campus located at Ovonum in Obubra Local Government Area (occupying 11.47 hectares in Ovonum along Calabar – Ikom highway);

Ogoja Campus, located at Ogoja in Ogoja Local Government Area (occupying 22.3 hectares in Abakpa along Ogoja – Mbube road); and

Okuku Campus located at Okuku in Yala Local Government Area (along Ogoja – Abakaliki road).

The university started operations in September 2002 in four campuses hosting 6 colleges as follows:

i. College of Science, Technology and Engineering at Calabar Campus;
ii. College of Education at Akamkpa Campus;
iii. College of Agriculture at Obubra Campus; and
iv. College of Management at Ogoja Campus.

However, the structure of the university was changed in the Amended Bill No. 6 of 2004, with the replacement of colleges with faculties. The Faculty of Health Sciences is billed to commence at the Okuku Campus and will eventually host the College of Health Sciences. At full maturity the campuses of the university shall host the following faculties:

Calabar Campus
Faculty of Communication Technology
Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Environmental Sciences
Faculty of Science

Akamkpa Campus
Faculty of Education

Obubra Campus
Faculty of Agriculture

Ogoja Campus
Faculty of Management Sciences

Okuku Campus
FacultyCollege of Health Sciences