The Governing Council of the University of Abuja has appointed Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi as the institution’s new Vice-Chancellor. His appointment was approved during the Council’s 80th Extraordinary Meeting held on Friday, November 7, under the leadership of Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso.
According to the announcement, Professor Fawehinmi will assume office on February 10, 2026, and will serve a single, non-renewable five-year term. The Council emphasized that his selection followed a rigorous and merit-driven process, in line with calls from stakeholders for transparency in the appointment of new leadership.
The university also confirmed an extension of the tenure of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mathew Adamu, who will remain in office until February 10, 2026. Adamu has served in an interim role since August 2025, following a series of leadership changes at the institution.
Professor Fawehinmi, a seasoned academic, is a Professor of Clinical Anatomy and Biomedical Anthropology. He has held several senior administrative positions at the University of Port Harcourt, including serving twice as Head of the Department of Anatomy, later as Associate Dean and then Dean of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, and subsequently as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) between 2016 and 2020.
Beyond his administrative career, he has contributed significantly to academic and professional scholarship, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications and multiple conference presentations. He has also served in various national academic and medical bodies and holds fellowships from the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland as well as the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria.
Professor Fawehinmi is married to Dr. Hadeezat O., a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, and they have five children. He currently serves as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian British University in Asa, Abia State, a role he is expected to transition from as he prepares to lead the University of Abuja.
