One hundred days after Professor Simon Ortuanya assumed office as the 16th Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), the university is witnessing sweeping reforms many observers describe as “a remarkable rebirth for an institution long trapped in stagnation.”
Prof. Ortuanya, who took office on 11 August 2025, marked the milestone quietly, but his decisive actions within this short period have triggered visible transformation across infrastructure, governance, staff welfare and international partnerships.
From his first weeks in office, Ortuanya rolled out an aggressive infrastructure restoration programme. Major internal roads—including Elias Avenue, Zik’s Drive, Chitis/Alumni Road, Main Gate Road and the VC’s Office Road—have been rehabilitated. The long-abandoned UNN Filling Station has roared back to life with new service pumps. Renovation of hostels is ongoing, while construction of three new hostel blocks is scheduled to begin soon.
A project many thought forgotten—the 10-storey Senate Building—has been revived after years of abandonment at the piling stage. Construction has now progressed to foundation level. The VC’s Lodge has also received a full facelift, and a dedicated mini power grid for the university library is under construction.
On academic development, the administration established the Michael Okpara Centre for Leadership and the Electric Vehicle Development Centre—two strategic initiatives aimed at positioning UNN as a hub for innovation. Staff welfare, often a source of tension, received immediate attention. All pending evaluations and promotions were cleared, resulting in the elevation of hundreds of staff. To tackle persistent residential challenges, a Housing and Accommodation Directorate was created, alongside a Community Relations Directorate to strengthen engagement with host communities in Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku-Ozalla. Student union activities, previously suspended, have also been fully restored.
Governance reforms have been far-reaching. New policy frameworks on Public-Private Partnership, Communications, Research and Update, ICT and Whistleblowing were introduced—each backed by strong standing committees. Security on campus was overhauled, involving new leadership, a comprehensive staff audit, and acquisition of modern equipment highlighted at the recent UNN Security Summit attended by top security officials.
Ortuanya has equally focused on global visibility. He hosted a delegation from the Swedish Embassy, engaged with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Waterloo, Canada, Professor Vivek Goel—leading to a new memorandum of understanding—and also led a delegation to Taiwan for high-level academic partnership discussions.
Sustained engagement with TETFund paid off with approvals and procurement clearances for major projects: a new faculty block for the College of Medicine, new hostels for Nursing and Pharmacy students, a state-of-the-art laboratory building, and full laboratory equipment installation.
For many observers, Ortuanya’s first 100 days reveal leadership marked by urgency, bold reforms and institutional renewal. Yet the VC insists he is only getting started, describing the achievements so far as “the beginning of the beginning.”
