The University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau State, has appointed Professor Patricia Lar as its first female Vice-Chancellor in the institution’s 55-year history, marking a significant milestone for women’s representation in Nigeria’s higher education leadership.
Lar’s appointment as the university’s 11th substantive Vice-Chancellor was announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026, by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Grace Folashade Bent, during a special meeting of the institution’s 15th Governing Council.
She succeeds Professor Tanko Ishaya, whose tenure is expected to end on November 30, 2026.
According to a statement issued by the university’s Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Madugu, the Pro-Chancellor presented the appointment letter to the incoming Vice-Chancellor and charged her to remain focused in the discharge of her responsibilities.
The appointment makes Lar the first woman to head the institution as a substantive Vice-Chancellor since its establishment in 1971.
Before her emergence, Lar had served as Acting Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly the University of Abuja, for six months in 2025.
An accomplished academic, she is a Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Jos, where she began her academic career as a Graduate Assistant in 1987.
She rose through the academic ranks and attained professorial status in 2015.
Lar obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, before proceeding to the University of Lagos, where she earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees.
She also undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland, United States, under the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-Fogarty Fellowship Programme.
Her research interests include infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS, malaria and antimicrobial resistance. She has authored more than 40 scholarly publications.
Over the years, she has occupied several administrative positions at UNIJOS, including Head of the Department of Microbiology and Director of Linkages and Collaborations. She also served as Secretary-General of the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA).
Her appointment comes at a time when Nigerian universities continue to grapple with challenges relating to infrastructure, research funding, academic standards, student welfare and institutional development.
As she prepares to take over the university’s leadership, expectations will be high for her administration to strengthen academic excellence, promote research and improve the learning environment for students and staff.
Her emergence is also a significant development for women in academia, demonstrating the importance of creating opportunities for qualified women to occupy strategic decision-making positions in educational institutions.
For the University of Jos, the appointment represents a historic departure from more than five decades of male-led substantive vice-chancellorships and opens a new chapter in its institutional leadership.
