RismadarVoice Reporters
June 22, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, as Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The appointment was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.
Professor Ogundipe succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned from the position less than a year after his appointment. Professor Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, while members of the board were inaugurated in November of the same year.
A renowned academic and professor of Botany, Ogundipe served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2017 to 2022. His areas of expertise include molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
He holds a doctorate in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Lagos.
Professor Ogundipe currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
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).
As Chairman of the NUC Governing Board, Ogundipe is expected to provide strategic oversight for Nigeria’s university regulatory body, with a focus on strengthening funding, enhancing academic standards, promoting global competitiveness and ensuring stability within the university system.
President Tinubu expressed confidence in the former UNILAG Vice-Chancellor’s ability to provide visionary leadership and sustain the credibility of Nigeria’s higher education sector.
The President said the appointment aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at improving quality, access and integrity in education across the country.
