By our Reporter
The Board of Trustees of Bells University of Technology, Ota, has approved the appointment of Professor Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, a distinguished alumnus of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), as the institution’s new Vice-Chancellor.
The appointment, which takes effect from August 1, 2026, followed the recommendation of the university’s Governing Council and was ratified by the Board of Trustees at its meeting held on May 20, 2026.
In a statement announcing the appointment, the university said Professor Olorunnisola’s outstanding academic credentials, extensive administrative experience and global exposure positioned him to lead the institution into a new phase of strategic growth, internationalisation and academic excellence.
A 1989 graduate of Agricultural Engineering from FUTA, Olorunnisola also holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Ph.D. in Wood Products Engineering from the University of Ibadan, as well as a Professional Diploma in Management from the Nigerian Institute of Management.
The 57-year-old scholar is a registered engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and a Fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Materials Science and Technology Society of Nigeria, the Nigerian Institute of Environmental Engineers and the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers.
Professor Olorunnisola has held visiting academic appointments at Northwestern University in the United States, the University of Pirassununga in Brazil, and the Pan African University Institutes in Nigeria and Algeria.
Before his appointment, he served as Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan, where he led the institution through its operational licensing by the National Universities Commission (NUC), secured full accreditation for all academic programmes, expanded academic offerings, and strengthened international collaborations, including the facilitation of a €500,000 Erasmus+ grant for staff and student exchanges with Greek universities.
Earlier in his career at the University of Ibadan, he served in several leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Wood Products Engineering, Dean of the Postgraduate School, and member of the university’s Governing Council. During his tenure as Dean, he introduced 23 postgraduate programmes, championed digital transformation in postgraduate administration and established a reserve fund of over ₦1 billion through prudent financial management.
A renowned researcher, Professor Olorunnisola has authored 11 books, 17 book chapters, 93 journal articles and 31 conference papers. His research spans bamboo processing, renewable energy, rattan utilisation and fibre-reinforced composites, earning him international recognition and research grants from organisations including the MacArthur Foundation, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the African Academy of Sciences and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
In his vision statement for Bells University, the incoming Vice-Chancellor outlined plans to boost the institution’s financial sustainability, strengthen technology-driven education, expand research output, deepen international partnerships and implement transparent governance.
He also pledged to align his administration with the university’s 2026–2031 Development Plan, which targets increased internally generated revenue, improved graduate employability, enhanced research productivity and full digital governance.
The Board of Trustees expressed confidence that Professor Olorunnisola’s blend of public and private university leadership experience, coupled with his international networks and record of institutional transformation, would position Bells University to achieve its aspiration of becoming a globally recognised institution for technology-driven education.
Professor Olorunnisola is married to Dr. Omolola Olubunmi Olorunnisola, and they are blessed with three children. He is fluent in Yoruba and English and has a working knowledge of French and German.
