Former UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, takes over leadership of Nigeria’s university regulator after Aina’s resignation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja, Nigeria, on 22 June 2026.

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The announcement was confirmed in a statement issued by the Presidency through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, marking a significant leadership change within Nigeria’s higher education regulatory framework.

The Ogundipe NUC chairman appointment follows the resignation of Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who stepped down less than one year after assuming office.

According to the Presidency, Professor Ogundipe will now oversee the regulatory body responsible for Nigeria’s university system, with a mandate centred on improving funding structures, strengthening academic stability and enhancing global competitiveness.

The statement also emphasised that the appointment aligns with efforts to advance quality, access and integrity in tertiary education under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The appointment is aimed at advancing quality, access, and integrity in the education sector,” the Presidency stated, highlighting the administration’s expectations for reform-driven leadership within the commission.

Professor Ogundipe, aged 66, previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos between 2017 and 2022, where he was recognised for his administrative reforms and academic leadership during a period of institutional challenges.

His academic background spans botany, with specialisation in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics and ecological conservation.

He holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos, and currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University in Ede, Osun State.

His professional recognition includes fellowship memberships in the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London and the Royal Society of Biology.

The Ogundipe NUC chairman appointment has drawn attention across Nigeria’s academic community, given the strategic importance of the NUC in regulating standards, accreditation and policy direction for universities nationwide.

Stakeholders within the education sector are expected to closely watch the transition, as Nigeria continues to grapple with challenges around university funding, staff welfare and academic stability.

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Ogundipe’s leadership is widely seen as a pivotal moment for the commission, with expectations of a more structured and research-driven approach to higher education governance.