as New NUC Chairman — Tinubu Appoints Ogundipe

In a move aimed at strengthening the nation's education sector, President Bola Tinubu has named Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission. This appointment follows the resignation of Emeritus Professor Olufemi Aina, who had held the position for less than a year. According to a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Professor Ogundipe's appointment is geared towards advancing the quality, accessibility, and integrity of education in Nigeria. As the new chairman, Ogundipe will oversee the regulatory body responsible for the Nigerian university system, with a focus on funding, global competitiveness, and academic stability. The Presidency has expressed its expectation that Professor Ogundipe will provide visionary leadership at the National Universities Commission, thereby sustaining the credibility of the Nigerian university system in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda. Professor Ogundipe, a 66-year-old academic and professor of Botany, served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos from 2017 to 2022. He is an expert in molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation. Ogundipe holds a PhD in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA from the University of Lagos. Currently, he serves as the Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer's University, Ede, Osun State, and is a fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology.