Tinubu Appoints Ex-UNILAG VC Ogundipe as NUC Board Chairman

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The appointment was announced on Monday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, Professor Ogundipe succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned from the position less than one year after assuming office.

Professor Aina was appointed chairman of the NUC Governing Board by President Tinubu in July 2025, while members of the board were formally inaugurated in November of the same year.

The statement noted that Ogundipe brings extensive academic and administrative experience to the position, having served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos between 2017 and 2022.

A distinguished scholar in the field of Botany, Ogundipe is recognised for his expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.

He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Botany from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Lagos.

During his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG, Ogundipe oversaw several academic and infrastructural reforms aimed at improving the institution’s competitiveness and research output.

His appointment comes at a time when the National Universities Commission is expected to play a critical role in strengthening the quality of higher education, accreditation standards and institutional governance across Nigeria’s university system.

The NUC serves as the regulatory body responsible for coordinating university education in the country and ensuring that institutions maintain acceptable academic standards.

Observers believe Ogundipe’s background in university administration and academic leadership positions him well to contribute to ongoing reforms in the tertiary education sector.

The Federal Government has continued to emphasise the importance of improving educational standards and expanding access to quality higher education as part of its broader development agenda.

With his appointment, Ogundipe is expected to provide strategic leadership to the commission’s governing board and support efforts aimed at advancing Nigeria’s university education system.