Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has been honoured as the African Educationist of the Year, a prestigious continental award presented by the African Leadership Magazine.
The announcement places Prof. Nawangwe among Africa’s most influential figures in the education sector, celebrating his leadership at Uganda’s oldest and most prominent institution of higher learning.
The award will be formally conferred on 28 February 2026 in Accra, Ghana, during the African Leadership Magazine’s Persons of the Year ceremony.
Under his stewardship, Makerere University has strengthened its research output, expanded international collaborations, and increased its visibility on the global academic stage. His tenure has also seen major strides in digital transformation, innovation ecosystems, and efforts to make the university a hub of excellence on the continent.
The African Educationist of the Year award recognises individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to reshaping Africa’s educational landscape, improving quality, and inspiring transformative learning across the continent.
Prof. Nawangwe is the 11th Vice Chancellor of Makerere University since the University was established as an autonomous institution in 1970. His first appointment was on the 14th of September in 2017.
- Nawangwe was born on 17th January 1956 in Busia District in the Eastern Region of Uganda. From 1970-1975 he attended Busoga College Mwiri for both his O-Level and A-Level education.
From 1976-1983, he attained a Master of Science in architecture from the Kiev Institute of Building Technology. From 1985-1989, he attained his Doctor of Philosophy from the same institute.
In 1997, Nawangwe got a Certificate of Attendance, Management Development Programme on Project Planning and Management. Also, in1998 he attained a Certificate, in Management Course for Young Professionals from Makerere University.
He was a lecturer and Head of the Department of Architecture; from the time the department was founded in 1987 until 2002. In 1969 he became Senior Lecturer and in 2002, the academia was appointed Associate Dean, Faculty of Technology.
In 2003, Nawangwe became Dean, Faculty of Technology, Makerere University, serving in that capacity from 2003 until 2010. In 2004, he became a professor. For a period of time, starting in 2010 until 2013, he served as the Principal, of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology.
At the time of his election as Vice Chancellor, Nawangwe served as Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, “responsible for the planning, budgeting and development of the university
He has chaired several University committees, including the University Research, Administrative and Financial Reforms Committee. Prof. Nawangwe has supervised several Master’s and PhD students.
He also serves as a consultant architect and has been involved in many architectural projects at the university for a period stretching back at least 20 years. He is also an external examiner at the University of Nairobi, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and the Oslo School of Architecture.
Prof. Nawangwe spearheaded the commencement of the architecture course at Makerere University. Together with two other colleagues, they were able to break the myth that the course of architecture could commence only with the assistance of expatriates. However, from a humble beginning, the Makerere School of Architecture is now recognized as one of the leading schools of architecture in Africa.
In his five years as a Dean of the Faculty of Technology, he put emphasis on teamwork and the use of delegation, four new degree courses were approved by Senate. These include BSC. (Quantity Surveying), BSc. (Land Economics), BSc. (Construction Management) and BSc. (Telecommunications Engineering).
Due to his contribution to the development of the Engineering profession in Uganda, in April 2004 the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers elected him an Honorary member of the UIPE.
He has chaired boards of several national, regional and international boards of professional organisations and currently chairs the Board of the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA) and the Resilient Africa Network (RAN).