The Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin was established by his Excellency, the then Military Governor of Kwara State, Col. David Bamigboye. The decision to establish the Polytechnic was announced during the launching of the four Year Development plan in 1971.

The College eventually came into existence following the promulgation of Kwara State Edict no. 4 of 1972 (now overtaken by the edict no. 21 of 1984 edict No. 13 of 1987 and edict no. 7 of 1994) as a body empowered by statute "to provide for studies, training research and development of techniques in arts and language, applied sciences, engineering, management and commerce, education and well as in other spheres of learning".