President Bola Tinubu has appointed Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), as chairman of the National Universities Commission (NUC) governing board.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy to the president, said Ogundipe succeeds Olufemi Aina, who resigned from the office less than a year after his appointment.
According to Onanuga, Ogundipe “will oversee the regulatory body of the Nigerian university system, focusing on funding, global competitiveness and academic stability.”
“The appointment is aimed at advancing quality, access, and integrity in the education sector,” he added.
“President Tinubu expects Professor Ogundipe to provide visionary leadership at the National Universities Commission and sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Ogundipe served as vice-chancellor of UNILAG between 2017 and 2022.
He holds a PhD in botany from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and an MBA from UNILAG.
The professor of botany specialises in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
Onanuga said the 66-year-old academic 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.
