From Akure to the National Stage: FUTA VC to Lead Federal University Vice-Chancellors

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Adenike Oladiji, has been elected Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Federal Universities (CVCNFU), effective November 13, 2026.

The appointment was conveyed in a letter signed by the Secretary General of the Committee, Professor Andrew Haruna, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE APPOINTMENT

According to the letter, Professor Oladiji is expected to chair all meetings of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities in Nigeria.

She will also lead members or their delegations on courtesy visits and meetings involving the Committee with other organisations.

She will continue to serve as a member of the Advisory Board of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU).

THE CONTEXT

Professor Oladiji is no stranger to leadership. She made history as the first female Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, and she has now ascended to a national role that places her at the centre of decision-making for Nigeria’s federal university system.

Her appointment comes at a critical time for Nigerian higher education, with universities grappling with funding challenges, industrial actions, and the need for curriculum reform to meet the demands of a changing economy.

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THE ANALYTICAL LENS

The election of Professor Oladiji as Chairman of CVCNFU is a significant moment for Nigerian higher education.

It is a recognition of her leadership at FUTA and her standing within the university system.

It is also a signal that the Committee of Vice-Chancellors is willing to entrust its leadership to a woman, at a time when gender representation in Nigerian academia’s highest echelons remains a work in progress.

But the appointment is not merely symbolic.

The CVCNFU is a powerful body, and its chairman has a platform to advocate for the interests of federal universities, to engage with the government on policy, and to shape the direction of higher education in Nigeria.

Professor Oladiji has said she sees the new appointment as another opportunity to step up her contributions to the development of the country’s higher education system .

The university community will be watching to see what she does with it. The letter has been signed. The mandate has been given. And Professor Oladiji has taken the chair. ValidViewNetwork reports.