President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced a major restructuring of leadership at several federal universities across Nigeria, signaling a shift towards enhanced governance and accountability in the country’s higher education sector. The sweeping changes, which take effect immediately, include the dissolution of governing councils, the appointment of new pro-chancellors, and the replacement of vice-chancellors at key institutions.
One of the most notable changes is at the University of Abuja, which has been renamed Yakubu Gowon University. In a decisive move, President Tinubu dissolved the institution’s governing council and relieved Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi of her position as Vice-Chancellor. Senator Lanre Tejuoso, currently the Pro-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, has been appointed as the new Pro-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University. He will be succeeded in Makurdi by Senator Joy Emordi, who currently serves as Pro-Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education. Meanwhile, Professor Lar Patricia Manko has been named Acting Vice-Chancellor at Yakubu Gowon University for a six-month tenure, though she will not be eligible to apply for the substantive Vice-Chancellor position when it becomes available.
The leadership shake-up also affects the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where President Tinubu has removed Professor Polycarp Emeka Chigbu from his role as Acting Vice-Chancellor ahead of his scheduled tenure expiration on February 14. In his place, Professor Oguejiofu T. Ujam has been appointed as Acting Vice-Chancellor for six months, with the same restriction against applying for the permanent role. Further restructuring at UNN includes the reassignment of General Ike Nwachukwu, the current Pro-Chancellor, to a new role as Pro-Chancellor of the University of Uyo. His position at UNN will be taken over by Engineer Olubunmi Kayode Ojo, who previously served as Pro-Chancellor at the Federal University of Lokoja and the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti.
In additional appointments, Professor Zubairu Tajo Abdullahi, the outgoing Pro-Chancellor of the University of Uyo, will take over from Ojo as Pro-Chancellor at the Federal University of Lokoja. Senator Sani Stores, a current council member at UNN, has been appointed as the new Pro-Chancellor of Alvan Ikoku University of Education, replacing Senator Joy Emordi. Meanwhile, Barrister Olugbenga Kukoyi, another council member at UNN, has been named the new Pro-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State.
According to the statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu emphasized that these leadership changes are part of his administration’s broader agenda to revitalize Nigeria’s higher education system. By appointing new leaders, the government aims to strengthen governance, improve academic standards, and ensure that universities align with national development goals.
The restructuring marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape, as the Tinubu administration pushes for reforms that prioritize efficiency, accountability, and academic excellence.
