The appointment of Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi as the substantive Vice
Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has ignited a fresh controversy.
This centered on the fundamental requirement of a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree for the position.
Critics argue that the process that led to his selection may have breached established eligibility criteria.
The University’s advertisement for the Vice Chancellor role in 2025 explicitly mandated a PhD qualification and a minimum of 10 years’ experience as a professor.
While over 50 applicants vied for the position, and rigorous selection process involving security screening, interviews was conducted, concerns have emerged regarding whether Prof. Fawehinmi met the stipulated academic requirement.
At the heart of the dispute is the distinction between academic and professional qualifications. 
A formal petition, now under review by both the Federal Ministry of Education and the University’s Governing Council, challenges the legality of the appointment.
The petition contends that a medical fellowship, reportedly held by Professor
Fawehinmi, does not equate to a PhD.
This argument is bolstered by a May 8, 2025, judgment from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (Suit No. NICN/ABJ/421/2024), which reportedly ruled that medical fellowship qualifications are not equivalent to a PhD.
Further clarification from the Federal Ministry of Education on March 5, 2026, reiterated that while postgraduate medical colleges may award PhDs, their fellowship certifications are professional, not academic, degrees.
The controversy at UniAbuja casts a spotlight on a broader pattern within Nigeria’s public university system, where the appointment processes for Vice Chancellors and other principal officers are increasingly marred by alleged breaches of laws and procedures.
What should be a transparent, merit- driven selection is often seen as degenerating into power struggles and institutional instability.
Federal authorities maintain that professional fellowships, while crucial for clinical expertise, do not replace the PhD as the benchmark for academic leadership.
The focus now remains on the UniAbuja Governing Council to determine whether it will uphold the appointment or revisit the process in light of the significant legal and regulatory questions raised, and whose interests were served by potentially overlooking this fundamental
requirement.
