A Computer Engineering lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Segun Aina, has been appointed Professor of Computer Engineering at the age of 39.
The appointment makes Aina one of the youngest professors in his field in Nigeria.
Reacting to the elevation, Aina described the milestone as humbling, saying it comes with greater responsibility to serve academia, industry and national development.
“This is not a destination, but a renewed call to contribute more meaningfully to knowledge, innovation and mentorship,” he said.
Aina lectures in the Department of Computer Engineering at OAU, where he also holds several departmental and faculty responsibilities.
His promotion was based on strong research output, academic leadership and commitment to linking theory with practical solutions within Nigeria’s education and technology space.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Kent, United Kingdom, in 2008, and a Master’s degree in Internet Computing and Network Security from Loughborough University in 2009.
He later obtained a PhD in Digital Signal Processing from the same institution.
Beyond academics, Aina is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Fluid Click Solutions Ltd, an IT services and engineering project management company established in 2010.
His interests span education technology, vocational training, agriculture and capacity building.
He has undertaken consultancy assignments for public and private institutions, including the Job Creation Unit in the Office of the Vice President, state governments and national examination bodies, and has completed executive education at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University.
An author of about 30 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, Aina is a COREN-registered engineer and a member of professional bodies including the Nigerian Computer Society, Nigerian Society of Engineers, IEEE and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
He is also active in community development and philanthropy, serving as National Financial Secretary of the Otan Ayegbaju Progressive Union and convening the DSA Initiative for the Support of Education and Entrepreneurship.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
