President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Professor Oluwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe as the new Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Ogundipe takes over from Emeritus Professor Olufemi Raphael Aina, who stepped down from the position less than a year after his appointment. The former chairman was appointed in July 2025, while members of the board were formally inaugurated later that year.
A respected academic, Professor Ogundipe previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos between 2017 and 2022. His academic career spans several areas of plant science, including molecular taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and environmental conservation.
He earned a doctorate degree in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and also obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Lagos.
The 66-year-old scholar currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University in Osun State and is affiliated with several prestigious scientific and professional organizations both within and outside Nigeria.
In his new role, Ogundipe is expected to provide strategic leadership for the NUC, strengthen the quality of higher education, promote academic excellence, and enhance the global standing of Nigerian universities.
The appointment is part of ongoing efforts to improve standards, accessibility, and institutional integrity across the country’s university system.
