The Governing Council of the University of Abuja, under the chairmanship of Distinguished Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, has approved the appointment of Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi as the new substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution.
The announcement was made during the 80th Extraordinary Meeting of the Council held on Friday, November 7, 2025. According to the resolution, the appointment takes effect from Tuesday, February 10, 2026, for a single, non-renewable tenure of five years.
Prof. Fawehinmi currently serves as the Vice-Chancellor of the Nigerian British University, a conventional private university located in Abia State.
Meanwhile, the Council also approved the extension of the tenure of the current Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mathew Adamu, until February 10, 2026. Prof. Adamu was first appointed in an acting capacity by the Federal Government on August 11, 2025.
Prof. Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi is a distinguished Professor of Clinical Anatomy and Biomedical Anthropology with vast experience in teaching, research, and university administration.
At the University of Port Harcourt, he has served as:
- Head, Department of Anatomy (2005–2007; 2007–2009)
- Associate Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (2010–2012)
- Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (2012–2014)
- Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (2016–2020)
A committed scholar and administrator, Prof. Fawehinmi has participated in numerous statutory and ad-hoc committees and has been instrumental in advancing institutional reforms and academic excellence.
He has also held several professional leadership roles, including:
- Secretary-General and NEC Member, Nigerian Medical Association (Rivers State, 1999–2000)
- Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Anatomical Sciences
- President, Society of Experimental and Clinical Anatomists of Nigeria (2014–2016)
Prof. Fawehinmi is a Fellow of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (FRAI) and Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Specialties of Nigeria (FAMedS).He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and 37 conference abstracts, and has been a resource person at more than 78 conferences and training programmes across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.His AMRG Anthropometry Chair, designed for dimensional body measurements, earned him a Federal Government Patent.
In recognition of his academic excellence, he was ranked among Africa’s top scientists in the 2021 Alper-Doger Scientific Index.Prof. Fawehinmi has also served as External Examiner and Professoriate Assessor for several first- and second-generation universities, including the University of Exeter (UK), and has led NUC and MDCN visitation panels to medical schools across the country.He is married to Dr. Hadeezat O. Fawehinmi, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, and they are blessed with five children.
