ABUJA – In a strategic move to enhance administrative efficiency and reinforce quality governance in Nigeria’s higher education sector, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of new governing council members for three federal universities: University of Abuja (UNIABUJA), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU).
The appointments, officially announced on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, come amid ongoing efforts by the federal government to reposition the tertiary education landscape for better accountability, transparency, and performance.
At the University of Abuja, the governing council will now be chaired by Professor Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan (South South), alongside Dr. Adedeji Adefuye (South West), Professor Sarki Abba Abdulkadir (North West), and Professor Aminu Mohammed Dukku (North East). The previous governing council of the university was dissolved in February 2025 following governance concerns that also led to the removal of former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aisha Maikudi.
For the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Rt. Hon. Barr. Ogbonna Eugene Odo (South East) and Muhammad Inuwa Tahir, mni (North West) have been appointed to the council, while Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, will now be governed by a team comprising Dr. Nkem Okeke, Ofoke Chukwuma Charles Ugbala, Dame Amina Patrick Yakowa, and Nojeeb Oriola Agunbiade.
The appointments reflect a deliberate regional balance and underscore the Tinubu administration’s resolve to uphold meritocracy while promoting inclusivity across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
Stakeholders in the education sector have welcomed the development, expressing optimism that the new councils will bring fresh vision and drive the universities toward excellence in research, teaching, and institutional management.
