By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has commenced the process of appointing a new Vice-Chancellor as the tenure of the institution’s current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, draws to a close, reports thegazellenews.com.
The Governing Council of the university formally declared the position vacant in a public notice published on Monday, 15 June, 2026 inviting applications from qualified candidates for appointment as the institution’s 10th substantive Vice-Chancellor.
The vacancy, advertised in line with the provisions of the Lagos State University Law 2004 (as amended), signals the beginning of a transition process at one of Nigeria’s foremost state-owned universities.
In the notice signed by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Emmanuel A. Fanu, the university said it was seeking a distinguished scholar and administrator with a proven record of academic excellence, leadership and institutional development to steer LASU through its next phase of growth.
The council described the Vice-Chancellor as the university’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Academic Officer and chief image-maker, noting that the successful candidate would be responsible for providing strategic leadership, maintaining academic standards and driving the institution’s vision of global competitiveness.
Founded in 1983 by the Lagos State Government, LASU has evolved into a multi-campus institution with over 85,000 students enrolled in diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
The university operates its main campus in Ojo, with additional campuses in Epe and Ikeja, while its School of Basic and Advanced Studies is located in Badagry.
Over the years, LASU has expanded from its maiden three faculties to a comprehensive academic institution offering programmes across diverse disciplines, including Law, Management Sciences, Education, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences, Communication and Media Studies, Agriculture, Arts and several specialised research centres.
According to the advertisement, the next Vice-Chancellor will hold office for a single five-year term and will be expected to sustain the university’s academic reputation while advancing innovation, research, entrepreneurship and global partnerships.
The Governing Council stated that applicants must possess a PhD or Doctor of Medicine degree and be full professors with at least 15 years of continuous university teaching and research experience.
Candidates are also required to demonstrate visionary and transformational leadership, strong administrative competence, proven capacity for attracting research grants and a track record of prudent financial management.
The university further said prospective applicants must show evidence of promoting academic excellence, staff development, institutional harmony and strategic resource mobilisation.
In addition, candidates are expected to possess a clear understanding of emerging trends in higher education, including digital transformation, innovation, entrepreneurship and global competitiveness.
The council stressed that the successful candidate must be capable of strengthening LASU’s research profile, expanding international collaborations and enhancing the institution’s contribution to national development.
Applicants are required to submit a detailed vision statement outlining their strategic agenda for LASU over the next five years, alongside evidence of academic accomplishments, administrative experience, research supervision and professional recognitions.
The university also directed candidates to provide the names of three referees who will submit confidential reports directly to the Registrar.
As part of the eligibility criteria, LASU stated that applicants “must not be above sixty-five years of age on assumption of duty as the 10th substantive Vice-Chancellor.”
Shortlisted candidates, the notice added, will be invited to appear before a Joint Committee of Council and Senate for further assessment.
The search for a new Vice-Chancellor comes at a critical moment in LASU’s development as the university seeks a successor capable of consolidating recent gains in academic excellence, research, infrastructure development and institutional visibility.
More details here...