LAGOS – James Hope University in Lekki, Lagos, has appointed Prof Austin Nosike, a Nigerian-born economist and management scholar with three decades of international academic and consultancy experience, as its substantive Vice Chancellor, the institution’s Board of Trustees announced on Friday.
The appointment followed deliberations by the university’s governing council, senate and a search committee, the Board said in an official statement dated August 8. The decision was made in line with provisions of Nigeria’s Universities Act.
Nosike, 53, brings to the role a career spanning teaching, research, and consulting across Africa, Europe, the United States and Asia. He has held positions as head of department, dean, director and deputy vice chancellor in several universities and served as visiting professor of finance, management and development studies in institutions from Spain to Rwanda.
“Professor Nosike is a distinguished scholar and administrator whose vision and leadership will strengthen our commitment to academic excellence and international best practices,” the statement said.
Before joining James Hope University, Nosike held senior roles at the University of Kigali in Rwanda, International University of Equator in Burundi, Copperstone University in Zambia and Ugandan Pentecostal University, among others. He has also worked with universities in the United States, Ghana, Ethiopia and Spain, as well as Nigeria’s Kaduna Polytechnic and Nigerian Defence Academy.
He has served on audit and accreditation panels, including as chairperson of Namibia’s University Audit Panel in 2024, where he was tasked with quality assurance and academic planning. Beyond academia, Nosike has maintained consulting relationships with governments, international agencies and NGOs, advising on policy issues such as corporate governance, globalization, environmental management, and peace and security.
His early career began in journalism, public relations and human rights activism before he moved into academia and consultancy. He has since facilitated more than 100 international conferences and workshops and supervised numerous master’s and doctoral students.
As Vice Chancellor, Nosike will serve as James Hope University’s chief executive and academic officer, chair its senate and congregation, and oversee the day-to-day administration of the institution. He will also be responsible for financial stewardship and external representation of the university, as well as advising the governing council on academic, administrative and disciplinary matters.
The Board said his leadership would be critical to advancing the university’s mission of providing world-class education and producing graduates equipped for global competitiveness.
James Hope University was established by philanthropist and Zenith Bank founder Jim Ovia through the James Hope College Foundation, a not-for-profit initiative launched in 2013. The university received its operating license from Nigeria’s National Universities Commission in 2021.
Ovia has described the institution as part of his lifelong commitment to expanding access to quality education in Nigeria. “The fruits of my success should contribute meaningfully to the nation’s progress,” he said when unveiling the project.
Nosike holds a BSc in economics from the University of Nigeria and advanced degrees from institutions in Poland, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Spain, Mexico and Nicaragua, including a PhD in economics and a Doctor of Business Administration. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
His academic output includes more than 200 publications ranging from journal articles to books and conference proceedings. He sits on editorial boards of several international journals, including as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Business and Economics and the Journal of Social and Educational Research.
He has received multiple awards and fellowships, including recognition from the Central European University, the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg, and the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, England. In 1992, he won first prize in the International Essay Competition for Nigerian University Students organised by the Forum for the Advancement of Nigeria in Philadelphia.
The university said Nosike’s tenure is expected to drive growth in research, innovation and international partnerships while expanding opportunities for students. His experience, it added, would strengthen community engagement and help position the university as a centre of academic excellence in Africa.
Born on March 23, 1972, Nosike is married with children. He is a practicing Catholic and has visited more than 30 countries over the course of his career.
