The Federal Government has instructed all outgoing Vice Chancellors (VCs) of federal universities to nominate a Deputy Vice Chancellor to serve as acting VC of their respective institutions. This directive was communicated by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in a circular dated May 28, 2024.

Signed by the acting Executive Secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki, the document stated that the initiative was undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Education. Maiyaki emphasized that the appointment of acting VCs should be based on recommendations from the universities’ Senates.

“The soon-to-be inaugurated Governing Councils of the universities will appoint acting vice chancellors for a specific period before selecting a substantive VC,” Maiyaki added.

The letter reads in part: “I write, further to previous communication Ref. No. NUC/ES/138/Vol. 65/88 and dated May 27, 2024, to convey the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, vide its letter Ref. No. FME/TE/CỰ/130/T6/458 and dated May 28, 2024 (copy attached), to the effect that Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities, who are rounding up their tenures, are to nominate, through the recommendation of their Senates, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor that will oversee the office of the Vice-Chancellor in a temporary capacity.

“The Governing Councils, after their inauguration, will appoint Acting Vice-Chancellors for a period not less than six months, during which they will commence the process of appointing substantive Vice-Chancellors.”