The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, has commended Mr Chris Maiyaki, former Acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), for his remarkable contributions and far-reaching innovations in Nigeria’s higher education system.
Speaking at a dinner in Abuja tagged “An Evening with Mr Chris”, held to mark his retirement after 35 years of service, Professor Ahmad described Mr Maiyaki as a “pillar of modern higher education in Nigeria” who played a pivotal role in advancing the nation’s university system.
“Mr Maiyaki is a quintessential public servant whose life has been devoted to improving the quality, competitiveness and global relevance of Nigerian universities. He is an encyclopaedia of higher education, innovative, disciplined and deeply committed to national development,” She said.
The Minister noted that Maiyaki’s leadership and intellectual depth inspired several landmark reforms, including the introduction of the Transnational Education (TNE) policy, which opened Nigeria’s university system to foreign collaboration and investment.
She also highlighted his role in establishing the Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) framework, which enables Nigerian universities to connect with world-class lecturers and institutions through technology, and in implementing the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), designed to ensure that university graduates possess practical skills and competencies relevant to their disciplines.
Mr Maiyaki was further credited for engaging Nigerians in the diaspora in collaborative research, expanding university licences and bridging admission gaps across the country.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi W. Jack, applauded Mr Maiyaki’s visionary leadership, describing him as “a man who provided direction and strengthened quality assurance within Nigeria’s education sector.”
“Your service to education and humanity will continue to resonate among your colleagues and the wider academic community,” she stated.
Former Executive Secretaries of the NUC, Professors Julius Okojie and Abubakar Rasheed, lauded Maiyaki’s exemplary service, describing him as “a man of uncommon competence and stability” who brought reform and credibility to the Commission.
Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education, also commended Maiyaki’s reform-driven spirit, calling him “an encyclopaedia of knowledge and integrity whose contributions to higher education remain unmatched.”
Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Mr Sonny Echono, described him as “an engine of innovation in service.” At the same time, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, commended his consistency and urged him to continue contributing to national and educational development.
Other dignitaries at the event included former Ministers of Education, academics, diplomats, Vice-Chancellors, representatives of the British Council and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).