President Bola Tinubu has appointed former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Ogundipe succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned from the position less than a year after his appointment.
Aina was appointed by the President in July 2025, while members of the board were inaugurated in November of the same year.
Ogundipe, a professor of Botany, is renowned for his work in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
He holds a doctorate degree in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos.
The 66-year-old academia currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
He is a fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London and the Royal Society of Biology, London.
He has also served as President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
As Chairman of the NUC Governing Board, he is expected to provide oversight for Nigeria’s university regulatory body, with a focus on funding, academic stability and enhancing the global competitiveness of the nation’s universities.
According to the statement, Tinubu expects the new chairman to provide visionary leadership and strengthen the credibility of the Nigerian university system in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, while advancing quality, access and integrity in the education sector.
(The Whistler)