The Governing Council of University of Abuja has approved the appointment of Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi as the substantive Vice Chancellor with effect from Tuesday, February 10, 2026, for a single, non-renewable tenure of five years.
A statement by the university said the decision was reached during the Council’s 80th Extraordinary Meeting on Friday under the chairmanship of Distinguished Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso.
Fawehinmi’s appointment comes after three successive acting vice chancellors were appointed following the exit of Prof Abdulrasheed N’Allah in July 2024.
Acting VCs appointed by the university include Prof Aisha Maikudi, Prof Patricia Manko Lar and the current acting VC, Prof. Mathew Adamu, whose tenure has now been extended by the Governing Council to February 10, 2026 to ensure a seamless leadership transition.
Adamu was appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor by the Federal Government on August 11, 2025.
Fawehinmi, a Professor of Clinical Anatomy and Biomedical Anthropology, currently serves as the Pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian British University, a private institution in Abia State.
He boasts an illustrious career in academia and institutional administration.
A former two-time Head of the Department of Anatomy, Associate Dean, Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, and two-term Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, at the University of Port Harcourt, he brings decades of experience and scholarship to his new role.
He has served on numerous statutory and ad-hoc committees, gaining a reputation for excellence in governance, research, and mentorship.
An active member of several professional bodies, Prof. Fawehinmi has served as Secretary-General and NEC Member of the Nigerian Medical Association, Rivers State, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Anatomical Sciences, and President of the Society of Experimental and Clinical Anatomists of Nigeria, 2014–2016.
A recipient of multiple academic and community service awards, he is a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, FRAI, and a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria, FAMedS.
With over 100 peer-reviewed publications and 37 conference abstracts, Prof. Fawehinmi has presented in 78 international and local conferences across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. He has supervised more than 100 undergraduate projects, 15 MSc, and 13 PhD/MD theses.
He delivered the 111th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Port Harcourt in 2014, titled “Different Tailors for the Same People; Same Surgeon for Different People.”
His inventive contributions include the AMRG Anthropometry Chair for Dimensional Body Measurements, for which he earned a Federal Government Patent.
Recognised among the top African scientists in the 2021 Alper-Doger Scientific Index, Prof. Fawehinmi has also played key roles in MoUs, international collaborations, and accreditation visits for the National Universities Commission, NUC, and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN.
He is married to Dr. Hadeezat O. Fawehinmi, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, and they are blessed with five children.
