ANUPA Advocates Reforms, Ethical Leadership in Nigerian Universities

Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators (ANUPA) has called for strategic reforms, ethical leadership, and innovative governance to strengthen the country’s university system.

The National President of ANUPA, Dr. Victor M. Bem, made the call during the 2026 National Training Workshop for University Professional Administrators held at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State.

Dr. Bem noted that Nigerian universities are operating under increasing pressure due to funding challenges, institutional complexities, governance demands, and rapid technological changes. He stressed the need for administrators to move beyond routine processes and adopt strategic, data-driven approaches to leadership.

According to him, the workshop was designed to reposition university administrators as drivers of institutional resilience, with focus on digital transformation, administrative data analytics, ethical governance, conflict resolution, sustainable funding, and succession planning.

He described senior administrators as key pillars of institutional stability and urged participants to leverage the platform to share ideas and develop practical solutions to improve efficiency and global competitiveness.

Declaring the workshop open, the Vice-Chancellor of MOUAU, Prof. Ursula Ngozi Akanwa, highlighted the importance of strong administrative structures in achieving institutional growth and sustainability. She said hosting the programme reflects the university’s commitment to capacity building for administrators across the country.

Prof. Akanwa also commended ANUPA for promoting professional standards in university administration, noting that effective governance and competent leadership remain critical to the future of Nigerian universities.

In her presentation, the Registrar of MOUAU, Dr. Nkeiruka Charity Mbanasor, stressed the need for ethical conduct and strict adherence to due process, warning that corruption undermines institutional credibility.

Similarly, the Registrar of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Dr. Celine Ngozi Nnebedum, advocated deliberate succession planning, mentorship, and knowledge transfer to ensure continuity in leadership.

Also speaking, ANUPA’s National Public Relations Officer, Onyinye Ralph-Nwachukwu, said the 2026 training workshop is being held across the six geopolitical zones to enhance accessibility and participation. She expressed optimism that the initiative would boost efficiency, service delivery, and collaboration among universities.

The workshop drew participants from several institutions, including MOUAU, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (UNIZIK), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI), among others.