Tinubu names former UNILAG Vice‑Chancellor Ogundipe as NUC Chairman

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has named Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe as the new chairman of the governing board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

He takes over from Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who stepped down after serving less than a year in the role.

Professor Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July of last year, and the NUC board members were formally inaugurated in November 2025.

Professor Ogundipe, who led the University of Lagos as Vice‑Chancellor from 2017 to 2022, is a botanist specializing in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.

He earned a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos.

At present, the 66‑year‑old Professor Ogundipe serves as Pro‑Chancellor of Redeemer’s University in Ede, Osun State.

He is a fellow of several professional societies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology in London. He has also held the positions of President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).

In his new capacity as NUC Chairman, Professor Ogundipe will guide the regulatory body overseeing Nigeria’s university system, with an emphasis on funding, global competitiveness, and academic stability.

According to a statement from presidential spokesman Mr. Bayo Onanuga, “President Tinubu expects Ogundipe to provide visionary leadership at the NUC and sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system, in alignment with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, by advancing quality, access, and integrity in the education sector.”