President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Professor Ogundipe, a distinguished academic and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos (2017–2022), takes over from Emeritus Professor Olufemi Aina, who stepped down less than a year into his tenure.
Professor Aina was appointed in July 2025, with the board formally inaugurated in November of the same year.
A renowned scholar in the field of Botany, Professor Ogundipe brings to the role extensive expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.
His appointment is widely seen as a strategic move to strengthen the NUC’s leadership and advance reforms aimed at improving the quality and competitiveness of Nigeria’s university system.
He holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos. Currently, Professor Ogundipe, 66, serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State,” a statement by Tinubu’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga, revealed on Monday.
“He is a fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology, London.
“He has also served as President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC),” the statement added.
It further disclosed that as NUC Chairman, Ogundipe would oversee the regulatory body of the Nigerian university system, focusing on funding, global competitiveness and academic stability.
According to the statement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe with the responsibility of providing visionary leadership at the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The President emphasized that Ogundipe’s mandate is to uphold and strengthen the credibility of Nigeria’s university system by advancing policies that promote quality, expand access, and safeguard integrity across the sector.
This directive, the statement noted, is in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes transformative reforms in education as a cornerstone for national development.
