Historic Milestone: Professor Patricia Mamko Lar Appointed First Female Vice-Chancellor of University of Jos
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The University of Jos has appointed Professor Patricia Mamko Lar as its 11th substantive Vice-Chancellor, making her the first woman to lead the institution since it was founded in 1971. The Governing Council announced the historic decision on Thursday, 12 November 2026, during a special meeting of the 15th Governing Council. Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council Senator Grace Folashade Bent presented the letter of appointment to Professor Patricia and charged her to remain focused and committed as she prepares to take the reins.
Professor Patricia will succeed the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, whose tenure ends on 30 November 2026, and is expected to assume office on 1 December 2026. She emerged as the leading candidate among the five academics interviewed by the Council.
Born on 1 January 1964 in Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Professor Patricia Mamko Lar has built a distinguished career in medical microbiology at the same university she now leads.
She joined the University of Jos in 1987 as a Graduate Assistant and rose steadily through the ranks to become a full Professor of Medical Microbiology in 2015. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and later earned her Master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Lagos. Her research has focused on infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria, antimicrobial resistance and phytomedicine, resulting in more than forty academic publications.
Before this appointment, Professor Patricia Mamko Lar served as Acting Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, for six months beginning in February 2025, giving her valuable experience in institutional leadership.
For more than five decades the University of Jos had never appointed a woman as substantive Vice-Chancellor. Professor Patricia Mamko Lar’s selection therefore marks a significant breakthrough for women in Nigerian higher education.
Her rise from graduate assistant to the highest office in a major federal university stands as a powerful example of what sustained excellence, resilience and expertise can achieve. In a sector where women remain underrepresented in the most senior leadership roles, especially in science and university administration, her appointment sends a clear message that competence and contribution, not gender, should determine who leads.
As she prepares to take office on 1 December, many will be watching how Professor Patricia Mamko Lar shapes the next chapter of the University of Jos and the wider possibilities her leadership opens for other women in academia across Nigeria.
