ABUJA, Nigeria — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed former University of Lagos Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Okay News reports that Ogundipe takes over from Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who stepped down from the position less than a year after his appointment. Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, while members of the governing board were inaugurated in November of the same year.
Professor Ogundipe served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2017 to 2022 and is a renowned botanist with research interests spanning molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation. He earned a doctorate in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Lagos.
The 66-year-old academic currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State. Over the course of his career, he has held several leadership positions in the academic and scientific community, including President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
He is also a fellow of multiple professional organisations, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology in the United Kingdom.
As chairman of the NUC governing board, Ogundipe will oversee policy direction and strategic oversight for Nigeria’s university regulatory agency, with responsibilities covering areas such as funding, academic standards, institutional stability, and global competitiveness.
According to the Presidency, President Tinubu expects the new chairman to provide strong leadership that will strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s university system while advancing quality education, improved access, and institutional integrity in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
