By Faridat Salifu
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of the Pro-Chancellor, members of the Governing Council, and principal officers for the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology, Koroma/Saakpenwa, Ogoni, in Rivers State.
The appointments, announced on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, mark a critical step towards the operational take-off of the institution, which is set to admit its first cohort of students in September 2025.
The university was established following the President’s assent to the enabling legislation on February 3, 2025.
Appointed as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council is Professor Don Mon Baridam, a distinguished scholar of Management with a focus on Organisational Behaviour. Baridam, who hails from the South-South region, previously served as a professor at the University of Port Harcourt.
Also from the University of Port Harcourt is the new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom, a renowned academic in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management and a former Commissioner for Education in Rivers State.
The Governing Council includes representatives from across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, underscoring the federal character of the appointments. Members include Mr. Emmanuel Onoja (North Central), Mr. Hamid Adekunle (South West), Professor Chima Oji (South East), and Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Lamda (North West).
President Tinubu also named the university’s principal officers:
• Dr. Mpigi Monday Douglas (South-South), Registrar
• Mr. Zoryii Josco Nwaimanie (North Central), Bursar
• Dr. Saghanen Ntogo G. B. (South-South), Librarian
The appointments are seen as part of the administration’s commitment to strengthening higher education and promoting environmental and technological research, particularly in the Niger Delta.
