One hundred days after assuming office, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, is receiving widespread commendation for what many describe as a swift and tangible turnaround at the institution.

Dr. Damian Eze, a respected member of the university community, lauded the VC’s “purposeful and urgent leadership,” noting that Prof. Ortuanya “hit the ground running” to restore UNN’s standing within and beyond Nigeria.

According to Eze, strategic engagements with TETFund have already resulted in major approvals, including a new faculty block at the College of Medicine, 40-room hostels for Nursing and Pharmacy students, a new laboratory complex, and full installation of medical laboratory equipment.

He recalled that when Prof. Ortuanya took office on 11 August 2025 as UNN’s 16th Vice Chancellor, the institution was grappling with deteriorating infrastructure, weakened governance, and strained internal relations. “One hundred days later, the trajectory has changed,” he said.

Though the VC marked his first 100 days without ceremony, his early months have delivered milestones “more commonly associated with a full year in office,” Eze added.

Within his first week, Prof. Ortuanya initiated an infrastructure recovery drive that led to the rehabilitation of key campus roads, including the VC’s Office Road. The long-abandoned UNN Filling Station was revived with four new pumps, hostel renovations began, and groundwork for three new hostel blocks was set in motion.

The VC has also prioritised academic and administrative reforms. In the last three months, he established two new academic centres - the Michael Okpara Centre for Leadership and the Electric Vehicle Development Centre. He also ordered the long-overdue completion of staff evaluations and promotions, resulting in the elevation of hundreds of workers across various cadres.

Eze said many observers consider Ortuanya’s early accomplishments “a demonstration of what determined leadership can achieve,” noting that renewed confidence across the university community suggests UNN is firmly on the path to reclaiming its place as a globally relevant institution.

“For a university long in search of a renaissance,” he concluded, “this is only the beginning of the beginning.”