President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, as the 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, Bayo Onanuga.
Professor Ogundipe succeeds Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who resigned from the position less than one year after his appointment. President Tinubu had appointed Professor Aina in July 2025, while members of the board were inaugurated in November 2025.
A renowned academic and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2017 to 2022, Professor Ogundipe is a Professor of Botany with expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
He holds a doctorate degree in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and also obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Lagos.
The 66-year-old academic currently serves as the Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
Professor Ogundipe 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).
In his new role, Professor Ogundipe will oversee the regulatory body for Nigeria’s university system, with responsibilities centred on funding, global competitiveness and academic stability.
According to the Presidency, President Tinubu expects the former UNILAG Vice-Chancellor to provide visionary leadership for the commission and sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President also expressed confidence that Ogundipe would advance quality, access and integrity in the education sector while strengthening the country’s tertiary education system.
