President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Makoji Stephen as the new Rector of Federal Polytechnic Ugep, Cross River State, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to merit-driven leadership in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
The appointment, approved by the President, takes effect from March 17, 2026, for a single tenure of five years in line with the Polytechnic Act 2019 (as amended).
The appointment places a globally trained academic and human resource management specialist at the helm of the institution at a critical period of growth and reform.
Dr. Makoji, an accomplished scholar with extensive local and international academic exposure, holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration with Second Class Upper Division from Ahmadu Bello University, earned in 1998. He subsequently obtained a Master of Science in Public Administration from Benue State University.
Driven by academic ambition and global outlook, he advanced to the United Kingdom as a self-funded student, earning a Master of Science in Human Resource Management in 2009 from the University of Salford. In 2016, he completed a Ph.D. in Business and Management with specialization in Human Resource Management at the University of Salford Business School as a Tertiary Education Trust Fund scholar.
Until his appointment, he served as Chief Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration at the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, and as an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at Miva Open University, Nigeria. He has also taught extensively at several universities in the United Kingdom and served as a Visiting Researcher in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States.
Beyond his degrees, Stephen’s academic journey reflects international recognition and research excellence. In 2011, he served as a fully funded visiting researcher at Southern University’s International Centre for Information Technology and Development in the United States. Two years later, he received a Graduate Scholar Award at the Conference on Knowledge, Culture and Change Management hosted by the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, in recognition of significant scholastic achievement and leadership.
He is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, United States; the Nigerian Institute of Training and Development; and the Manchester Industrial Relations Society, United Kingdom.
Education stakeholders say his blend of administrative expertise, human capital development knowledge and international research exposure positions him to strengthen institutional governance, academic standards and industry relevance at Federal Polytechnic Ugep.
Observers note that the appointment aligns with the Tinubu administration’s broader agenda to elevate competence and global competitiveness within Nigeria’s higher education system.
With a career defined by intellectual discipline, global perspective and scholarly distinction, Dr. Stephen now assumes leadership of the polytechnic at a time when innovation, transparency and academic excellence are paramount.
As Federal Polytechnic Ugep turns a new page, expectations are high that his vision and experience will not only stabilize the institution but transform it into a model of merit, research relevance and administrative efficiency in Nigeria’s polytechnic education landscape.
