About Us

Prof. Toyin Ashiru is the new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye. His appointment took effect from Thursday 25th August, 2022.

A distinguished Materials and Metallurgical Engineer, Prof. Ashiru’s career spans about 40 years through Nigeria, UK, USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Far East and Asia. He has utilized his diverse experiences in the academia, consulting, finance/investment entrepreneurship, and project management for the enhancement of corporate productivity.

Prof. Ashiru is a graduate of the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK where he obtained BSc in Materials Science and Engineering. He completed his PhD in Industrial Metallurgy in 1983 at the University of Birmingham, UK. He began his career as a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Lagos and subsequently University of Ibadan, before serving as a Senior Research Fellow at the International Tin Research Institute in the UK.

Before his advent into the oil and gas industry in 1998, he was a Professor/Senior Research Fellow at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia. He has served as expert consultant to NNPC, SHELL, CHEVRON, EXXONMOBIL, ADDAX, SAUDI ARAMCO, SABIC, SAMAREC, QATAR OIL, etc. He has also served on various technology advancement committees of the UNIDO, UNESCO and the WORLD BANK.

The Pro-Chancellor is the inventor of the first known instrument for in situ detection of steel cracking in sour petroleum production operations. This sophisticated microprobe device is now fully commercialized and used worldwide in the oil industries.

Prof. Ashiru holds patents in the USA, UK, Brazil, Japan and of the World Intellectual Property Organization for several other inventions. He developed electroplated tin-zinc alloy coating system (USA Patent # 5,378,346, January 3, 1995). The coating is extensively used worldwide, particularly in the USA, UK, Europe, and the Far East for the protection of plant, machinery, automobile, and aerospace components.

He also developed a comprehensive paint and coating standard as well as specification system. This one-of-the-kind package includes expert software systems for specifying of protective coating applications and preventive maintenance planning in industrial plants.

Over the years, he has carried out many projects to solve corrosion and materials degradation problems in petrochemical, chemical processing, fertilizer, and steel manufacturing industries. He is a world recognized consultant on matters concerning oil and gas plant development, integrity enhancement and failure analysis.

Of importance was his stint as a Technical Advisor to the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), where he developed several innovative solutions for petrochemical, chemical processing and fertilizer plants.

Prof. Ashiru is responsible for the introduction of Sponge-Jet, an environment-friendly low-dust blasting technology to Nigerian industries. He provides expert-led solutions that support private and public sector organisations to develop and actively implement their strategies to achieve measurable change, transformation and/or improved performance. His current engagements include Strategy Development and Execution, Performance Improvement, Turnaround, Process and Human Capital Alignment and Change Management.

He is a highly experienced corporate board member. He is effective in defining desired future state, articulate the strategy and build a case for change. A significant proportion of his work includes providing coaching and support to management and various teams across all levels to drive timely implementation. He is a consultant for organisations in sectors that have a high impact on the economy, such as Petroleum, Financial Services, Utilities, Energy and ICT. He excels in facilitating leaders across many sectors and cultures to reach consensus and work to make a difference.

Ashiru has received many merit awards and citations worldwide in recognition of his work, including an acknowledgment in the USA as a “Professional with Extraordinary Ability” and listings in Who is Who in the World and the Dictionary of International Biography; the highly esteemed Corrosion Odyssey 2001 Award in England; Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Sussex, UK; Dalic’s Very Imperial Plater Award, Vitré, France; Honoree of the African Engineering Education (AEEA).

He is also a recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Innovator Award of the Association of Tin Producing Countries (ATPC). The honour was in appreciation of his inventions of the first known industrially viable tin-zinc alloy coating system. He was the recipient of the Special Presidential Merit Award for Distinguished Engineering Practice of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE).  More recently, he was a runner-up of Lagos State Man of the Year 2021 Award.

This erudite scholar has great passion for community service, especially educational counseling for Nigerian youths. He sponsors and personally conducts programmes on career development and effective study strategies for University students and keen parents.

He has equally assisted many young Nigerians in obtaining placements and scholarships for postgraduate studies in American, British, and Saudi Arabian Universities, with most of the beneficiaries now highly placed and successful professionals.

The Pro-Chancellor is a Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers; Fellow of the New York Academy of Science; Fellow of the Nigeria Academy of Engineers; and Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He is also a Non-Executive Director of FCMB Group Plc, Chairman of CSL Stockbrokers Ltd, Chairman of Crestmont Ltd  and Vice Chairman of Tricontinental Group, among others.

He is the Vice President of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) Foundation. He is on the College of Engineering Industry Board of Covenant University. He is also involved in grant sourcing for many Universities through town-and-gown initiatives.