Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo

Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana

Professor of Linguistics, Linguist, University Administrator

Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo is a Ghanaian linguist, Professor of Linguistics and university administrator who became the first woman to serve as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana. She was appointed Vice-Chancellor in October 2021 after previously serving as Acting Vice-Chancellor, and was re-appointed to a second four-year term beginning in October 2025. She holds a BA in French and Linguistics from the University of Ghana and MPhil and PhD degrees in Linguistics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Her scholarship is centred on pragmatics, multilingualism, language and gender, health communication, political discourse and higher education. Before becoming Vice-Chancellor, she served the University of Ghana as Head of the Department of Linguistics, Founding Dean of the School of Languages and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. Her current leadership has focused on institutional transformation, digitalisation, research excellence, student experience, international partnerships and sustainable resource mobilisation. In 2026, she was also elected Chair of the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, strengthening her role in international higher-education leadership.