Bells University Appoints FUTA Alumnus Abel Olorunnisola as New Vice-Chancellor

Bells University of Technology, Ota, has appointed Professor Abel Olajide Olorunnisola, an alumnus of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), as its new Vice-Chancellor.

The appointment was approved by the University's Board of Trustees at its meeting on May 20, 2026, following the recommendation of the Governing Council. Professor Olorunnisola will assume office on August 1, 2026.

In announcing the appointment, the Board of Trustees and Governing Council described Professor Olorunnisola's outstanding academic credentials, extensive university administration experience, and international exposure as critical assets that will strengthen the University's mission of delivering technology-driven education.

The University expressed confidence that his appointment would usher in a new era of strategic growth, internationalisation, and academic excellence as Bells University enters its third decade of existence.

Professor Olorunnisola, 57, brings more than three decades of academic and administrative experience spanning both public and private universities in Nigeria.

He obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree with Second Class Upper Division in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in 1989, a Master's degree in Agricultural Engineering (Wood Products Engineering Option) from the University of Ibadan in 1992, and a PhD in Wood Products Engineering from the same institution in 1997. He also holds a Professional Diploma in Management from the Nigerian Institute of Management.

A registered Agricultural Engineer with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Professor Olorunnisola is a Fellow of 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.

His international academic engagements include visiting professorships at Northwestern University, United States; the University of Pirassununga, Brazil; and the Pan African University Institutes in Ibadan, Nigeria, and Tlemcen, Algeria.

Professor Olorunnisola previously held several key leadership positions at the University of Ibadan, including Sub-Dean of the Faculty of Technology, Sub-Dean of the Postgraduate School, Head of the Department of Wood Products Engineering, Dean of the Postgraduate School between 2010 and 2014, and Member of the University's Governing Council from 2019 to 2021.

As Dean of the Postgraduate School, he supervised the largest postgraduate school in West Africa, introduced 23 new academic programmes, established a ₦1 billion financial reserve through prudent fiscal management, and led the digital transformation of postgraduate admissions, transcript processing, and other administrative services.

He also introduced scholarship schemes for international students and persons living with disabilities, alongside a conference grant programme that strengthened postgraduate research.

Since November 2021, Professor Olorunnisola has served as the Vice-Chancellor of Dominion University, Ibadan.

During his tenure, the University secured its operational licence from the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2022 following a successful resource verification exercise. All academic programmes also obtained full NUC accreditation between 2022 and 2024.

Under his leadership, Dominion University produced three graduating classes between 2023 and 2025, established a Faculty of Allied Health Sciences offering Nursing Science, Medical Laboratory Science, and Public Health programmes, and recorded significant growth in staff and student enrolment.

He also facilitated a €500,000 Erasmus+ grant to support staff and student exchange programmes with Greek universities and successfully hosted the Cisco Networking Academy Safari in April 2024, the first edition held in Oyo State.

Professor Olorunnisola is widely recognised for his research contributions in wood products engineering, bamboo processing, renewable energy, rattan utilisation, and fibre-reinforced composites.

His scholarly output includes 11 books, 17 book chapters, 93 journal articles, and 31 conference papers. As of March 2026, his Google Scholar profile recorded an h-index of 19 with 1,382 citations.

He also holds a patent for a briquette production machine and has served on expert task forces of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), contributing to the development of five International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for bamboo products.

His research has attracted grants from organisations including the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the African Academy of Sciences, TWAS/CSIR, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Pan-African Materials Institute, and the International Organization for Standardization.

Professor Olorunnisola has supervised 18 doctoral students to completion, many of whom now occupy senior academic and leadership positions in universities within and outside Nigeria.

In his vision for Bells University, the incoming Vice-Chancellor outlined a development agenda centred on three strategic priorities: increasing investible funds, repositioning the University as a leader in technological advancement, and strengthening its international reputation.

He pledged to pursue transparent leadership, fiscal discipline, improved revenue generation, curriculum internationalisation, expanded research capacity, and digital transformation of the University's administrative processes.

His vision aligns with Bells University's 2026–2031 Development Plan, which targets a 30 to 40 per cent increase in internally generated revenue, a 50 per cent rise in research output, 70 per cent graduate employability, and the full implementation of digital governance.

The Board of Trustees expressed confidence that Professor Olorunnisola's wealth of experience, global networks, and proven leadership in institutional transformation make him well-positioned to advance Bells University's aspiration of becoming a globally recognised institution committed to societal transformation through environmentally friendly technologies.

Professor Olorunnisola is married to Dr. Omolola Olubunmi Olorunnisola, and they are blessed with three children. He is fluent in English and Yoruba, with a working knowledge of French and German. His hobbies include reading biographies, studying leadership literature, and writing computer programmes.