By Felix Khanoba
Abdulrasaq Abubakar Toyin University (AATU) has appointed a 47-year-old Professor of Computer Engineering, Olayemi Mikail Olaniyi, as its first substantive Vice-Chancellor.
The appointment, approved by the university’s Board of Trustees, was ratified at its third meeting held on September 4, 2026, and took effect the same day.
In a statement signed by the Registrar, Emmanuel Dada Obafemi, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, said Olaniyi’s appointment was carefully considered.
Na’Allah said the new Vice-Chancellor would deploy his wealth of academic and administrative experience to the management of the institution while working with the Governing Council to improve efficiency and drive the university’s development.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Olaniyi is a Professor of Computer Engineering with about two decades of experience in academia. His areas of expertise include computer security, intelligent and embedded systems, applied medical informatics and open distance learning.
He obtained a National Diploma in Computer Technology from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, before earning a Bachelor of Technology and PhD in Computer Science and Engineering, specialising in Computer Security, from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
The new AATU Vice-Chancellor also holds a Master of Science degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering from Lagos State University, where he graduated with Distinction.
According to the statement, Olaniyi began his academic career at Bells University of Technology, Ota, and rose through the ranks before joining the Federal University of Technology, Minna, where he became a Professor of Computer Engineering in 2021.
Over the years, he has occupied several administrative positions, including Deputy Dean of the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Head of the Department of Computer Engineering at FUT Minna.
Before his latest appointment, he was Dean of the Faculty of Computing at the National Open University of Nigeria.
The professor has published more than 195 academic works and secured research grants worth over N350 million.
He is also a member of several professional organisations, including the Nigerian Computer Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), where he is a registered Computer Engineer.
Olaniyi is married with children.
The AUTHORITY reports that AATU is a private, not-for-profit university licensed by the National Universities Commission in April 2025.
The institution commenced its NUC-approved degree programmes in September 2025 at its campus in Oke-Ogba, Ganmo, Ilorin, Kwara State.
