The University of Jos (UNIJOS), Plateau State, has appointed Professor Patricia Mamko Lar as its 11th substantive Vice-Chancellor, making her the first woman to occupy the position since the institution was established.

Her appointment marks a historic milestone for the university, which was established in 1971 and has operated for more than five decades without a female substantive Vice-Chancellor.

The appointment was announced on Thursday, November 12, 2026, by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University’s Governing Council, Senator Grace Folashade Bent, during a special meeting of the institution’s 15th Governing Council.

Professor Lar succeeds Professor Tanko Ishaya, whose tenure as Vice-Chancellor is coming to an end.

According to a statement issued by the university’s Deputy Registrar, Information and Public Relations, Emmanuel Madugu, the Pro-Chancellor presented the incoming Vice-Chancellor with her letter of appointment and urged her to remain focused and committed to her responsibilities.

Professor Lar is a Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Jos, where she has built an extensive academic and administrative career.

She joined the university as a Graduate Assistant in 1987 and rose through the academic ranks before becoming a professor in 2015.

She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1986, while her Master’s and Doctoral degrees were earned at the University of Lagos. She also undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Maryland in the United States under the NIH-Fogarty Fellowship Programme.

Her research interests include infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and antimicrobial resistance. She has also authored more than 40 academic publications.

Throughout her career, Professor Lar has held several leadership positions, including Head of the Department of Microbiology and Director of Linkages and Collaborations at the University of Jos. She also served as Secretary-General of the West African Research and Innovation Management Association.

Before her appointment as substantive Vice-Chancellor, she served as Acting Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly known as the University of Abuja, for six months.

Her emergence is being regarded as a significant achievement for women in Nigeria’s academic sector, as she becomes the first female to lead the University of Jos since its establishment.

As she prepares to take over the institution’s leadership, expectations are high for her administration to strengthen academic excellence, research, infrastructure development and the overall growth of the university.