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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe as chairman of the governing board of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Presidency announced on Monday.
In a statement issued signed by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Ogundipe succeeds Professor Emeritus Olufemi Aina, who resigned his appointment after less than one year in office. Aina was appointed by President Tinubu in July 2025, and the board members were inaugurated in November 2025, the statement said.
A former Vice‑Chancellor of the University of Lagos (2017–2022), Ogundipe is a professor of Botany with expertise in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany and ecological conservation.
He holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos.
The 66 years old, Ogundipe 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 served as President of the Botanical Society of Nigeria and as Chairman of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
As chairman of the NUC governing board, Ogundipe will oversee the regulatory body of the Nigerian university system with a focus on funding, global competitiveness and academic stability, the Presidency said.
“The President expects Ogundipe to provide visionary leadership at the NUC and sustain the credibility of the Nigerian university system, in alignment with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, by advancing quality, access, and integrity in the education sector,” the statement added.
