Professor Olanrewaju Ademola Olaniyan
The Vice Chancellor, Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo
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About the Vice Chancellor
Olanrewaju Ademola Olaniyan is a distinguished economics professor, scholar and university administrator whose career spans over 28 years of teaching, research, consulting and public service. He currently serves as the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, a responsibility he assumed on 9 August 2023 at a defining moment in the life of the newly upgraded institution. Since his appointment he has brought intellectual clarity, disciplined administration and a steady vision that continue to shape the university’s identity and growth.
Olanrewaju studied at the University of Ibadan, where he earned a Bachelor of Education degree in Educational Management and Economics with First Class Honours, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics. These formative years set the stage for a career rooted in macroeconomics, development economics, population studies, social protection and public policy analysis.
At the University of Ibadan, he rose through the ranks as an accomplished academic and leader. He taught courses in Macroeconomics and Development Economics and held several notable positions including Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development and the first Head of the Department of Sustainability Studies. Earlier in his career he had served as Sub Dean at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. His contributions in these roles established him as a respected voice on the intersection of economics, development planning and social policy.
His work has earned him international recognition. He is a member of the High-Level Advisory Committee of the SDG Academy of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network in New York. He is also an active member of the National Transfer Accounts global research network where he continues to work on issues related to population structure, economic lifecycles and the demographic dividend. His long involvement with this network includes service as a Council member of the National Transfer Accounts Research Network at the University of Hawaii.
Olanrewaju’s expertise has made him a sought-after contributor to policy formulation at national and international levels. He led the National Planning Commission team that developed Nigeria’s Social Protection Policy in 2004, and served as the Nigerian lead for major multi country studies on education for low-income families and on the shaping of social protection systems. His portfolio includes consulting assignments for the World Bank, the World Health Organization, UNESCO, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the African Economic Research Consortium and several federal ministries and development agencies. Through the Health Policy Training and Research Programme at the University of Ibadan, which he leads, he has worked with the United Nations Population Fund on demographic dividend research and on the role of generational transfers in development planning. His scholarship and consulting activities have taken him to 31 states in Nigeria and to more than fifty countries across the world. He is often invited as a keynote speaker at academic and policy conferences and continues to serve as a resource person to organisations across continents.
His service to national development includes chairing the Governing Council of the Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, where he provided guidance during a critical phase in the institution’s evolution. In recognition of his influence and his impact within the civil society space, he was named among the one hundred most influential civil society leaders in Nigeria by the Nigeria Network of NGOs in 2021.
Olanrewaju Olaniyan has published widely, with more than one hundred and seventy works in reputable journals and edited volumes. His research addresses major development questions in areas such as health and population economics, educational finance, poverty, welfare and inequality. His international academic engagements include time as a Senior Associate Member of St Antony’s College at the University of Oxford and visiting research positions at Cornell University and the University of Hawaii.
As the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, he has helped to shape the character of the institution from the ground up. His leadership played a crucial role in the transition from college to university status. Under his guidance the institution has secured approval for 50 academic programmes, matriculated two cohorts of students and strengthened internal systems to support teaching and learning. He has anchored the university’s development on three central commitments which are research and innovation, quality teaching and meaningful engagement with the community. His office has supported the growth of the Directorate of Research Management and International Programmes, introduced the university’s multidisciplinary journal, expanded research support opportunities and deepened collaborations with government, industry and civil society.
He continues to champion investment in staff development, digital transformation and student welfare, with the aim of building a university that is globally competitive and socially relevant. His approach to leadership has earned the confidence of stakeholders and has positioned Emmanuel Alayande University of Education as a promising and forward-looking institution at the heart of Oyo’s educational landscape.
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Contact Information
Email:olaniyanoa@eauedoyo.edu.ng
Phone No: 08023255741