Past Presidents
A complete verified record of every National President of NANS (and its predecessor NUNS) — from Emmanuel Obe in 1956 to the current Akinteye administration in 2026.
Akinteye Babatunde Afeez (Babtee)
National President
Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH)
Elected in May 2026 with a historic 93.8% mandate through the NANS Central Planning Committee (CPC) digital convention - marking a landmark leap in transparent union elections. The administration has…
Key Achievements
Historic 93.8% digital CPC mandate; N2.9B NELFUND expansion; Ogbomosho solidarity walks; Institutional independence assertion
May 10, 2026 → Present
Olushola Oladoja
National President
NANS National Secretariat
Focused on mending relationships between local Student Union Governments and university management. Aggressively expanded NELFUND adoption nationwide to prevent university dropouts caused by financial…
Key Achievements
NELFUND adoption expansion; SUG-management dialogue protocols; Campus infrastructure focus
January 15, 2025 → May 9, 2026
Lucky Emonefe
National President
College of Education, Warri
Secured NANS board representation on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) - establishing the association as the official student-side monitoring body for the historic loan scheme. Oversaw a rare…
Key Achievements
NELFUND board representation secured; Uninterrupted academic calendar; Tuition hike reversals
June 1, 2023 → December 31, 2024
Usman Umar Barambu
National President
Federal University Dutse (FUD)
Led the early, decisive advocacy for the Student Loan Act - engaging the National Assembly, presenting policy papers, and building cross-party support for what would become the historic Access to High…
Key Achievements
Early Student Loan Act advocacy; National Assembly engagement; Cross-party policy coalition
January 1, 2022 → May 31, 2023
Sunday Asefon
National President
Ekiti State University (EKSU)
Navigated the post-COVID-19 era through high-level negotiations to end the prolonged 2020 and 2022 ASUU strikes. Mobilized students for the historic EndSARS movement, demanding an end to police brutal…
Key Achievements
Mediated 2020 and 2022 ASUU strikes; EndSARS student mobilization; COVID-19 student relief coordination
August 1, 2020 → December 31, 2022
Bamidele Akpan
National President
University of Uyo (UNIUYO)
Navigated NANS through the early COVID-19 era. Engaged the Federal Ministry of Education on emergency response measures for students stranded during the lockdown and laid groundwork for the COVID-19 s…
Key Achievements
COVID-19 transition leadership; Emergency response framework; Federal ministry engagement
January 1, 2018 → July 31, 2020
Chinonso Obasi
National President
Ebonyi State University (EBSU)
Successfully campaigned for the restoration of student unions at institutions where they had been proscribed by university authorities - most notably at the University of Ilorin, after years of suspen…
Key Achievements
Student union restoration nationwide; UNILORIN SU re-establishment; Campus governance reforms
January 1, 2016 → December 31, 2017
Tijani Usman Shehu
National President
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU)
Led NANS through critical engagements on the BringBackOurGirls campaign and the launch of NANS's formal Welfare Directorate. Strengthened the association's coordination of emergency assistance for stu…
Key Achievements
BringBackOurGirls campaign; NANS Welfare Directorate establishment; Emergency assistance framework
January 1, 2014 → December 31, 2015
Yinka Gbadebo
National President
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
Championed the decentralization of NANS away from Abuja-centred governance. Strengthened zonal structures and pushed for genuine grassroots representation - reforms that significantly improved the dem…
Key Achievements
NANS decentralization reforms; Zonal structure strengthening; Grassroots representation
January 1, 2012 → December 31, 2013
Tony Nwoye
National President
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
Led the decisive resistance against the federal government's attempt to privatize student hostels - a policy that would have driven hostel fees from N90 to over N10,000. Through coordinated protests,…
Key Achievements
Blocked hostel privatization policy; Preserved affordable accommodation; Federal policy reversal
January 1, 2004 → December 31, 2005
Daniel Onjeh
National President
Federal University of Technology, Minna (FUTMINNA)
Led NANS in the early democratic era, focusing on transitioning the association from anti-military resistance to constructive engagement with the new civilian government on education policy, fee regul…
Key Achievements
Civilian-era policy engagement; Student welfare advocacy; Federal policy dialogue framework
January 1, 2002 → December 31, 2003
Olusegun Maiyegun
National President
University of Lagos (UNILAG)
Served as NANS's frontline leader during the June 12 crisis. Mobilised students nationwide to demand the restoration of MKO Abiola's annulled mandate - making NANS a central pillar of the civilian res…
Key Achievements
June 12 frontline resistance; Pro-democracy mobilisation; Civilian opposition leadership
January 1, 1992 → December 31, 1993
Mahmud Abdul Aminu
National President
University of Jos (UNIJOS)
Sustained NANS's anti-military activism through the most repressive period of the Babangida regime. Was arrested by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) for his unwavering opposition to military ru…
Key Achievements
Sustained anti-military activism; Endured DSS arrest; Underground organisational resilience
January 1, 1990 → December 31, 1991
Lukman Salilu Mohammed
National President
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU)
Led the historic 1989 Anti-SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme) Riots. Through a 10-point demand and coordinated nationwide strikes, NANS forced the Babangida military junta to offer a comprehensive…
Key Achievements
Anti-SAP Riots victory; Federal mass transit scheme; Peoples Bank establishment; 62,000 jobs created
January 1, 1988 → December 31, 1989
Emmanuel Ezeazu
National President
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)
Led NANS through the devastating aftermath of the ABU Massacre, where security forces killed protesting students at Ahmadu Bello University. Declared nationwide mourning and organised coordinated prot…
Key Achievements
ABU Massacre response; Nationwide mourning declaration; Anti-military advocacy
January 1, 1985 → December 31, 1986
Lanre Arogundade
National President
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
Strategically aligned NANS with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) - forging a powerful labour-student-academic coalition that would shape Nigerian c…
Key Achievements
NANS-ASUU-NLC strategic alliance; Civil society coalition building; Labour solidarity framework
January 1, 1984 → December 31, 1985
Chris Abashi
National President
University of Jos (UNIJOS)
Sustained the campaigns of his predecessor - fiercely resisting the Shagari administration's education cuts and advancing the case for free education at all tiers of Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Key Achievements
Resistance to Shagari education cuts; Free education campaigns; Northern student mobilisation
January 1, 1982 → December 31, 1983
Chris Mammah
National President
University of Calabar (UNICAL)
Consolidated the newly established NANS structures across expanding campuses. Continued the resistance against the Shagari government's declining education funding and worked to expand member institut…
Key Achievements
NANS structural consolidation; Member institution expansion; Free education advocacy
January 1, 1981 → December 31, 1982
Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi
National President
Bayero University Kano (BUK)
Founding NANS President. Elected at age 19, he laid the association's constitutional framework. At 20, he was expelled from Bayero University Kano for championing the students' cause - setting a defin…
Key Achievements
Founded NANS; Drafted founding constitution; Set sacrifice precedent for student leaders
July 5, 1980 → December 31, 1981
Segun Okeowo
National President
University of Lagos (UNILAG)
Led the iconic "Ali Must Go" protests of 1978 against drastic federal fee hikes targeting tertiary education. The military government's lethal response - killing several students and proscribing NUNS…
Key Achievements
"Ali Must Go" protests leadership; National debate on education costs; Student sacrifice precedent
September 1, 1977 → December 31, 1978
Emmanuel Obe
National President
University of Ibadan
Pioneer President of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS). Led pre-independence advocacy, mobilising students for anti-colonial consciousness and political education. Established the foundat…
Key Achievements
Founded NUNS; Pre-independence student mobilisation; Anti-colonial advocacy
January 1, 1956 → December 31, 1957
About This Record
This is the verified chronological list of recognized National Presidents of NUNS (1956–1980) and NANS (1980–present). Due to periods of intense military clampdowns and political factionalism, some transitional or disputed factional claimants have been excluded in favour of the globally recognized, mainstream mandate holders.