James Hope University has appointed Oluyele Akinkugbe as president and vice-chancellor of the institution effective from February 16, a decision seen as a strategic step to strengthen governance and academic direction.
The board of trustees of James Hope University made this known on Tuesday, in a letter signed by Achugamonu Uzoma, registrar of the university, sighted by BusinessDay.
“On behalf of the board of trustees, the governing council and the entire James Hope University community, I am pleased to announce the official appointment of Oluyele Akinkugbe as the substantive vice-chancellor of the university.
“As James Hope University continues its mission of academic excellence and global competitiveness, the appointment of Akinkugbe marks a pivotal milestone. With a distinguished career spanning over 40 years in higher education and a proven track record in university administration, we believe his leadership will be transformative for the institution,” the letter reads.
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.
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.
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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.
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, 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, 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.
A vision for the next era
As president and vice-chancellor, 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.
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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.
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.
James Hope University is a leading business school located in Lekki, Lagos. The university offers postgraduate programmes including the Executive MBA (EMBA), MBA, and four specialised MSc degrees.
