Professor Samuel Babatunde Agbola is a distinguished Urban and Regional Planner with a long-standing focus on Human Settlement Development and its interactions with climate change. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, before pursuing advanced studies at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, USA, where he earned a Master in City Planning (MCP), Master of Arts (MA), and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Fondly called Professor Tunde Agbola, he began his academic career at the University of Ibadan as a Lecturer II on August 23, 1983, and rose to the rank of Professor on October 1, 1996. Over the years, Professor Agbola has become a renowned scholar, authoring 19 books and monographs, 75 book chapters, and 66 journal articles in respected national and international outlets. He has also presented 174 conference papers and secured numerous research grants from organizations such as the United Nations for Human Settlements (HABITAT), Ford Foundation, USAID, World Bank, WHO, UNDP, and ICSU.
In addition to his scholarly contributions, Professor Agbola has held various academic and professional positions. He has served as the Director and Head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Ibadan. Notable roles he has filled include serving on the 14-member Worldwide Advisory Board of HABITAT’s Global Research Network (2007–2011), and as the Pioneer Director of the Physical Planning Unit at the University of Ibadan (2009–2015).
From 2015 to 2020, he chaired the Regional Committee for Africa (RCA) of ICSU. Currently, he is the Pioneer Director of the Center for Climate Change Studies at Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria (2022–2025), and an Extraordinary Professor in Government Studies at North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa (2023–2026).