Meet Prof. Adamu Ahmed: The New Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria
Prof. Adamu Ahmed has successfully taken over the mantle of leadership of Ahmadu Bello University as the institution’s 13th substantive Vice-Chancellor. The hand-over ceremony took place at the University Senate Chambers today (Wednesday 30th April, 2025).
Speaking after taking over, Prof. Adamu Ahmed expressed hope to close the gap for timely impactful research that would create wealth and bring meaningful innovation.
Prof. Ahmed also said that he would encourage cooperation in research and innovation among staff and students. He pledged to serve with diligence, humility and fairness in order to continue upholding the global standard of the University.
The new Vice-Chancellor expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the ABU Governing Council for the vote of confidence by appointing him to steer the affairs of the university. He also thanked the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kabiru Bala, for his stewardship of the University, and equally acknowledged the support and encouragement of the university basketball family.
Who is professor Adamu Ahmed?
Professor Adamu Ahmed who teaches at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was born on 2 April, 1964. He is currently the Pro-Chancellor and chairman governing Council of the Federal University of Education, Kano.
Prof. Ahmed obtained BSc Geography, 1985; MSc Urban and Regional Planning. 1990; and PhD Urban and Regional in 2000 all from the great Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Additionally, he got an Advanced Certificate in Real Estate Development and Finance from Urban Land Institute, Tampa, Florida, USA in 2006.
He joined the services of Ahmadu Bellow University in 1991 and rose through the ranks to become a professor of urban and regional planning in 2012. He was at different times Director, Directorate of University Advancement; Director, Centre for spatial information science (CSIS), and Head, Department of Urban and Regional Planing.
Between 2019 and 2021, Prof. Adamu Ahmed was Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of lands and Survey, Bauchi State. At the international level, he has been Coordinator/Director United Nations’ University Institute for Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) Nagoya, Japan-Regional Centre for Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development since 2013 to date.
The new vice chancellor is a seasoned academic leader and systems thinker with a proven track record of hard work multitasking and transformative leadership in education and urban planning.
When he was the Head of Department of Urban and Regional Planing, he led curriculum reforms and established the Centre for spatial information science (CSIS), (CSIS) which hosts the United Nations University Institute for
Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for sustainable development and the DFID Resilient cities network.
Besides attracting several local and international research Grants, Prof. Adamu Ahmed also spearheaded ABU’s achievement as the best planning school award in Nigeria (2012). And led Nigeria’s most comprehensive joint double degree/exchange Programme in Transportation Engineering with Central South University (CSU) China, securing full external funding, staff fellowships, and grants for more than 90 students and staff.
As Director of the institution’s Directorate of University Advancement, Prof. Ahmed participated and later coordinated grant sourcing applications for three World Bank Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) programmes at the University worth over $8 million.
He also managed collaborations with Dangote Foundation, NNPC, and CCECC leading to the establishment of a student hostel, an Inland Basin Research Centre, and Chinese Language Laboratory. His endowment programme designed for the University, worth over N5 billon in annual giving, was meant to strengthen alumni engagement and sustainable funding.
He is Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, Registered Town Planner, and Board of Trustees Member, Nigerian Resilient Cities Network (NRCN).
He is also the recipient of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NTIP) -President’s Award for Meritorious Service to the Town Planning Profession (2010), Town Planners Registration Council Best Planning School/Head of Department in Nigeria Award (2012) and Chinese Ambassador’s Award October 1 Prize for Promotion of China-Nigeria Friendship and Collaboration (2019).
Prof. Adamu Ahmed attended a total of 29 local and international conferences in addition to 23 academic publications in peer reviewed journals and 34 conference papers all to his credit.
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