President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC), replacing Emeritus Professor Olufemi Aina, who stepped down from the position after serving for less than a year.
Professor Aina was appointed by the President in July 2025, while members of the NUC governing board were formally inaugurated in November of the same year.
Ogundipe, a distinguished academic and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), led the institution between 2017 and 2022. He is a renowned Professor of Botany whose areas of specialization include molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.
A statement issued on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the 66-year-old scholar earned his doctorate degree in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and later obtained a Master of Business Administration from the University of Lagos.
The statement further highlighted that Ogundipe currently serves as the Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, where he has continued to contribute to the advancement of higher education in Nigeria.
Beyond his academic achievements, Ogundipe is a fellow of several prestigious professional and scientific organizations, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology in the United Kingdom.
He has also held key leadership positions within the academic community, 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 play a strategic role in strengthening the nation’s university system. His responsibilities will include providing oversight on policy direction, supporting institutional funding initiatives, promoting academic excellence, and enhancing the international competitiveness of Nigerian universities.
The Presidency stated that Tinubu expects the new chairman to offer purposeful and visionary leadership that will help maintain the integrity and credibility of the country’s tertiary education sector.
According to the statement, the appointment aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its commitment to improving access to quality education, strengthening university governance, and fostering innovation and stability across higher learning institutions in Nigeria.
