RismadarVoice Reporters, April 22, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a fresh set of appointments across major institutions in Nigeria’s education sector, including the National Examinations Council (NECO), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the Federal Polytechnic in N’yak-Shendam, Plateau State, and the National Library of Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy on Wednesday 22 April, 2026.
The President named Modupe Adeola Adelabu as Chairman of NECO’s Governing Board, while retaining the Registrar, Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi.
Adelabu, a retired professor of educational administration, previously served as Deputy Governor of Ekiti State and once chaired NBTE between 2018 and 2021. She rose to professorship at Obafemi Awolowo University.
At the NBTE, the President appointed Babatunde Salako as Chairman, citing his extensive experience in higher education and policy leadership. Salako formerly served as Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) from 2016 to 2024, a period marked by institutional reforms and expanded global partnerships.
Earlier, on April 10, President Tinubu had also reappointed the NBTE Executive Secretary, Idris M Bugaje, for a second and final five-year term.
In Plateau State, Bongfa Binfa has been appointed Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, N’yak-Shendam, succeeding Mukaila Zakari Ya’u, whose tenure ended on March 16, 2026.
Binfa’s appointment, approved for a single five-year term, follows a competitive selection process initiated through a nationwide advertisement in September 2025.
He holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and previously served as Deputy Rector (Academic) at the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny, as well as a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Idah.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu renewed the tenure of Chinwe Veronica Anunobi as Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Library of Nigeria for a final five-year term.
First appointed on September 2, 2021, Anunobi has overseen a series of reforms aimed at modernising the institution, including the rollout of the National Repository of Nigeria, the National Virtual Library, and other digital cataloguing systems.
Her leadership has also been instrumental in advancing the completion of the long-delayed National Library Headquarters project in Abuja and initiating plans to consolidate heritage collections from state branches nationwide.
According to the statement, the renewal of Anunobi’s tenure is intended to ensure continuity in ongoing reforms, facilitate the completion of critical infrastructure, and drive the implementation of the library’s 2025–2030 strategic plan.
