President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new governing council members for three federal universities as part of efforts to reform and strengthen tertiary education in the country.
The affected institutions are the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU).
Announcing the appointments on Tuesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the move is in line with the administration’s ongoing drive to reposition the nation’s higher education system for improved governance and accountability.
At the University of Abuja, where the governing council was dissolved earlier in February following controversies surrounding the appointment of the former vice-chancellor, Aisha Maikudi, four new council members have now been named. They include:
Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan – South-South
Adedeji Adefuye – South-West
Sarki Abba Abdulkadir – North-West
Aminu Mohammed Dukku – North-East
For the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the new council members are:
Ogbonna Eugene Odo – South-East
Muhammad Inuwa Tahir, mni – North-West
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, also received a new slate of appointments. They include:
Nkem Okeke – South-East
Ofoke Chukwuma Charles Ugbala – South-East
Dame Amina Patrick Yakowa – North-West
Nojeeb Oriola Agunbiade – South-West
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Onanuga noted that the appointments reflect a balanced representation across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, and are aimed at enhancing inclusiveness, transparency, and policy implementation within the institutions.
“The Tinubu administration remains committed to educational reforms that will elevate the quality of learning, leadership, and infrastructure in Nigerian universities,” he stated.
The appointments come at a critical time when university governance and accountability are increasingly under the spotlight, with stakeholders demanding more responsive and efficient oversight of Nigeria’s higher education institutions.