Tinubu shakes up NUC board, appoints Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe chairman

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

The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, Ogundipe succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned from the position less than a year after his appointment and inauguration in November 2025.

The Presidency said the 66-year-old academic brings extensive administrative and scholarly experience to the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing Nigeria’s university system.

Ogundipe previously served as Vice-Chancellor of UNILAG between 2017 and 2022 and is currently the Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.

A professor of Botany, Ogundipe specialises in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation. He earned his PhD from Obafemi Awolowo University and also holds an MBA from UNILAG.

Over the course of his career, he has held several leadership positions, including President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).

He is a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology.

In his new role, Ogundipe is expected to oversee regulatory functions in the Nigerian university system, with emphasis on funding, academic stability, and global competitiveness.

President Tinubu said the appointment aligns with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at strengthening quality, access, and integrity in higher education.