Prof. Olu Akinkugbe Returns as President and Vice-Chancellor of James Hope University, Lagos
February 16, 2026 2026-02-16 15:43Prof. Olu Akinkugbe Returns as President and Vice-Chancellor of James Hope University, Lagos
Prof. Olu Akinkugbe Returns as President and Vice-Chancellor of James Hope University, Lagos
The Board of Trustees of James Hope University is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Oluyele Akinwalie Akinkugbe (Olu) as the new President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, effective 16 February 2026. This appointment marks a historic homecoming for the renowned economist and academic leader, who returns to lead the institution he helped build from the ground up as its Founding Dean.
Prof. Akinkugbe’s journey with James Hope University is deeply personal. Having played a pivotal role in establishing the University and its Business School, he now returns to steer it into its next chapter of growth and distinction.
His teaching, education system management, policy advisory, research, and consulting experience span almost every region of the world and with more than four decades of leadership experience that crisscross Africa, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia, his appointment signals a powerful commitment to continuity, excellence, and bold ambition.
Prof. Akinkugbe’s academic foundation is rooted in rigorous quantitative analysis and its practical application. He holds a doctorate in Applied Econometrics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where his pioneering thesis developed a 197-equation macro-model of the Nigerian economy. This work, completed as part of the prestigious Ford Foundation-sponsored LINK Project—a global economic modeling consortium—placed him at the frontier of macroeconomic policy translation, a lifelong commitment to bridging high-level research with real-world impact that has defined his entire career.
Over four decades, he has held leadership roles at some of the world’s most respected institutions, teaching and leading in universities across Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Cambodia, and Rwanda. His leadership footprint is substantial: he served as Dean of the largest faculty at the University of Namibia, overseeing more than 10,000 students and close to 70 faculty and staff, and as Head of Economics at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. Most recently, he served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Kigali, Rwanda, where he played a key role in advancing that institution’s strategic growth and global positioning.
Beyond academic administration, Prof. Akinkugbe is renowned for his ability to transform institutions. His leadership philosophy—centred on sustainable governance, financial resilience, faculty development, and deep community engagement—has resulted in successful faculty restructurings, robust quality assurance systems, and the cultivation of impactful international partnerships.
His influence also extends deeply into the world of policy. As a respected advisor in the global community, he is frequently sought after by numerous regional and multilateral institutions—the World Trade Organization (WTO), African Caribbean and Pacific regional grouping (ACP); Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA); United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); United Nations Development Programme (UNDP in New York, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa, Zambia, etc.); the African Development Bank (AfDB); Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA); the Commonwealth International; etc. He served and continues to serve as a consultant/resource person on a wide range of economic and social issues. He is a seasoned academician with a substantial number of papers in international peer reviewed Journals and has edited Books, attended several academic conferences and workshops in Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. Notable contributions include designing Barbados’ national macroeconometric model and advising on youth employment and industrial strategy across Southern Africa. A prolific scholar, his research addresses pressing issues in energy economics, trade policy, health and education financing, and poverty dynamics, consistently bridging the gap between academic discourse and tangible policy change.
A Vision for the Next Era of James Hope University
As President and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Akinkugbe returns to James Hope University with a vision that is both deeply informed by its founding principles and sharply focused on its future. Four strategic priorities will guide his leadership:
- Deepening academic excellence and innovation, building on JHU’s foundation of rigorous, interdisciplinary learning to ensure programs remain globally competitive and responsive to the demands of the 21st-century economy. He is committed to fostering interdisciplinary learning and ensuring JHU graduates are equipped to lead and innovate.
- He will focus on forging global connections by expanding partnerships with leading international universities, research networks, and industry leaders to enhance student and faculty mobility, drive knowledge exchange, and elevate JHU’s global standing.
- Ensuring institutional sustainability is a key priority, developing resilient financial models that diversify revenue streams and strengthen the University’s long-term capacity to deliver world-class education and impactful research.
- Finally, he is dedicated to amplifying impact and access, ensuring JHU remains a catalyst for Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation by expanding access to talented students from diverse backgrounds, and empowering graduates to become leaders and change-makers.
A Homecoming and a New Beginning
Prof. Akinkugbe’s return to James Hope University is a full-circle moment. Having helped shape its identity at inception, he now assumes its highest leadership role with a deep understanding of its potential and a clear vision for its future—his leadership arrives at a time when JHU is poised to expand its influence, attract world-class talent, and deliver an education that is globally competitive, yet deeply rooted in the Nigerian and African context.
He joins a distinguished academic community dedicated to excellence, relevance, and impact. In the words of colleagues who have worked with him across the globe, Prof. Akinkugbe is a “transformative leader with a global outlook and a local heart.” As he takes the helm on 16 February 2026, James Hope University is poised to build on its strong foundation, transforming challenges into opportunities and furthering its mission to shape the next generation of Nigerian and global leaders, in perfect alignment with the University’s strategic objectives and Nigeria’s vision for education and development.
