President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The appointment, announced on Monday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, follows the resignation of Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who stepped down less than one year after assuming office.
Professor Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, while the NUC Governing Board was inaugurated in November of the same year.
A distinguished academic, Ogundipe served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos between 2017 and 2022 and is widely recognised for his contributions to Botany, particularly in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos.
The 66-year-old scholar currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, and is a fellow of several prestigious 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).
According to the Presidency, Ogundipe will lead the governing board of the nation’s university regulatory agency with a mandate to strengthen funding, enhance global competitiveness and promote academic stability across Nigerian universities.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in the former UNILAG Vice-Chancellor’s ability to reposition the commission, saying he is expected to “provide visionary leadership at the NUC and sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system.”
The President further stated that Ogundipe’s appointment aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda by advancing “quality, access, and integrity in the education sector.”
