This study explored the links between leadership styles and institutional readiness for change using a correlational research design. A total of 616 academic staff drawn from five public universities was included using proportionate stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire and Organizational Change Recipients Beliefs' Scale and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results unveiled that the leadership style of top university leaders was found to be between transactional and laissez-faire in their leadership style and high institutional readiness for change in public universities. The findings further disclosed that the transformational leadership style had high, positive, and significant relations with institutional readiness for change while transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles had low, sometimes negative, and non-significant effects. Finally, it was concluded that high institutional readiness for change is an opportunity for university transformation. Still, failure to be transformational in leadership style at the top leadership echelon could hinder its implementation. Policy implications are also indicated in the study.