Professor Akanni Olayinka Lawanson, a distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Ibadan (UI), has assumed office as the new Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, following his election to lead the Faculty for the new tenure. Professor Lawanson, who assumed office on 1 August 2026, brings to the position over two decades of extensive teaching, research and academic experience, with specialisation in Microeconomics, Health Economics and Quantitative Analysis.
A seasoned academic and administrator, Professor Lawanson holds a First Class (Honours) Bachelor of Education degree in Educational Management/Economics and a Master of Science degree in Economics, both from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Ph.D. in Economics and has risen through the academic ranks, combining scholarship with significant administrative responsibilities, including his service as Acting Head of the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences, between 2020 and 2022.
His emergence as Dean marks another significant milestone in an academic career distinguished by impactful research, international exposure and contributions to economic and health policy development.
Professor Lawanson has participated in major research initiatives supported by leading international and national institutions, including the World Health Organization, World Bank, African Development Bank Group, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Federal Ministry of Health, among others, while his academic accomplishments have also earned him Visiting Scholar Fellowship opportunities at the International Monetary Fund Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 2003 and 2010.
