President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has named 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. President Tinubu had appointed Professor Aina in July 2025, while members of the board were officially inaugurated in November of the same year.
A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos between 2017 and 2022, Ogundipe is a distinguished Professor of Botany whose areas of specialisation include molecular plant taxonomy, biosystematics, ethnobotany, cytogenetics, forensic botany, and ecological conservation.
He earned a doctorate in Botany from Obafemi Awolowo University and also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Lagos.
The 66 year old academic currently serves as Pro Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, in Osun State.
Ogundipe is a fellow of several respected professional organisations, including the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Linnaean Society of London, and the Royal Society of Biology, London. He has also previously 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 as Chairman of the NUC Governing Board, Ogundipe will help oversee Nigeria’s university regulatory agency, with responsibilities that include promoting adequate funding, strengthening global competitiveness, and ensuring stability within the higher education sector.
President Tinubu expects Ogundipe to provide strong and forward looking leadership at the commission while preserving the credibility of Nigeria’s university system. The appointment is also expected to support the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda through improvements in quality, access, and integrity across the education sector.
