President Bola Ahmed 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).
Ogundipe succeeds Professor Olufemi Aina, an emeritus professor, who resigned from the position less than a year after his appointment.
Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, while members of the NUC Governing Board were inaugurated in November of the same year.
A renowned botanist, Ogundipe served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2017 to 2022. His areas of expertise include molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the 66-year-old academic holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos.
The statement noted that Ogundipe currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, and is a fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology, London.
He has also held key leadership positions in academia and research, including serving 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, Ogundipe is expected to provide strategic oversight for Nigeria’s university regulatory agency, with a focus on strengthening funding, enhancing global competitiveness and promoting academic stability across the higher education sector.
President Tinubu expressed confidence that Ogundipe would provide visionary leadership and help sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly through initiatives aimed at improving quality, expanding access and upholding integrity in higher education.
