The appointment was approved by the university’s Board of Trustees and subsequently ratified at the third meeting of the institution’s governing body held on September 4, 2026. Olaniyi assumed office on the same day.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Council, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, described the appointment as a well-considered decision, expressing confidence that the new Vice-Chancellor’s academic and administrative experience would contribute to the growth of the institution.
Na’Allah said Olaniyi would bring his wealth of experience to the university’s management while working closely with the governing council to strengthen institutional efficiency and advance the university’s development.
The appointment places the 47-year-old academic at the helm of an institution that is still in the early stages of establishing its academic and administrative structures.
Olaniyi is a Professor of Computer Engineering with nearly two decades of experience in academia. His areas of expertise include computer security, intelligent and embedded systems, applied medical informatics and open distance learning.
His academic journey began with a National Diploma in Computer Technology from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa. He later obtained a Bachelor of Technology and a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering, specialising in Computer Security, from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
He also holds a Master of Science degree in Electronic and Computer Engineering, which he obtained with Distinction from Lagos State University.
The new Vice-Chancellor began his academic career at Bells University of Technology, Ota, where he progressed through the academic ranks before joining the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
In 2021, he attained the rank of Professor of Computer Engineering at FUT Minna.
Beyond teaching and research, Olaniyi has held several administrative positions across Nigerian universities. At FUT Minna, he served as Deputy Dean of the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Head of the Department of Computer Engineering.
He subsequently served as Dean of the Faculty of Computing at the National Open University of Nigeria, a position he occupied before his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of AATU.
His research profile includes more than 195 academic publications, while he has also attracted research grants valued at over N350 million.
Olaniyi belongs to several professional organisations, including the Nigerian Computer Society, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the Association for Computing Machinery.
He is also a member of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), where he is registered as a Computer Engineer.
The appointment comes as AATU continues to build its academic identity following its emergence as one of Nigeria’s newer private universities.
The institution, a private, not-for-profit university, was licensed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in April 2025.
It commenced NUC-approved degree programmes in September 2025 at its campus in Oke-Ogba, Ganmo, Ilorin, Kwara State.
With the appointment of its first substantive Vice-Chancellor, the university is expected to further consolidate its academic, administrative and institutional structures as it expands its operations.
Olaniyi is married and has children.