University of Ibadan appoints Prof. Peter Olapegba as 14th Vice-Chancellor

The Governing Council of the University of Ibadan has appointed Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba as the institution’s 14th substantive Vice-Chancellor following a competitive selection process involving eight candidates.

The appointment was announced on Wednesday by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Adebisi Akande, shortly after the council approved the recommendation of the Joint Council-Senate Selection Board.

Akande said the process of appointing a new Vice-Chancellor commenced in accordance with the provisions of the University Act ahead of the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor on November 1, 2026.

According to him, advertisements calling for applications were published in three national newspapers in April 2026, attracting six applications from qualified candidates.

He explained that the Governing Council subsequently constituted a Search Team, as required by law, to identify other qualified academics who had not initially applied. The exercise produced two additional applications, bringing the total number of candidates to eight.

Akande disclosed that the council interacted with all eight candidates on Tuesday, July 21, during a rigorous assessment in which members independently scored each candidate based on approved guidelines.

The exercise, he said, resulted in the emergence of five candidates who were shortlisted in order of merit for the final stage of the selection process.

He added that the Governing Council appointed two of its members to serve on the Joint Council-Senate Selection Board, while the University Senate had earlier elected two representatives to participate in the exercise.

The Selection Board interviewed the five shortlisted candidates on Wednesday before recommending Olapegba as the most suitable candidate for the office.

Describing the exercise as “thorough, transparent and highly competitive,” Akande said the Governing Council unanimously approved the recommendation of the Selection Board.

“It is, therefore, my pleasure to present to you the 14th Vice-Chancellor of this great university, the University of Ibadan, Professor Peter Olamakinde Olapegba. We wish him success in his tenure,” Akande said.

Olapegba, who currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and is a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Ibadan, will succeed the incumbent Vice-Chancellor whose tenure ends on November 1, 2026.

His appointment marks the beginning of a new leadership era at Nigeria’s premier university, with expectations that he will build on the institution’s legacy of academic excellence, research and innovation.