The Governing Council of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), has approved the promotion of nine academic staff members to the rank of Professor. This decision was reached during the council’s 172nd statutory meeting, chaired by former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Attahiru Muhammadu Jega, OFR.
The promotion was formally announced in a special university bulletin dated June 20, 2025, following the successful completion of the required assessment and review processes for academic advancement. According to the bulletin, the newly promoted professors are drawn from five faculties: Medical Laboratory Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Education and Extension Services, and Health Sciences. Their promotions are backdated to take effect from January 1, 2024.
The list of promoted academics and their new designations is as follows:
Dr. Ibrahim Garba – Professor of Microbiology, School of Medical Laboratory Sciences
Dr. Sa’adatu Muazu Jodi – Professor of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Dr. Aliyu Mahmuda – Professor of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Abbas Mahmud – Professor of Adult and Non-Formal Education, Faculty of Education and Extension Services
Dr. Abdullahi Kabiru – Professor of Anatomic Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences
Dr. Asama’u Adamu – Professor of Paediatrics, Faculty of Health Sciences
Dr Usman Malami Aliyu – Professor of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences
Dr. Usman Bello – Professor of Anatomic Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences
Dr. Umar Zayyanu Usman – Professor of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences
This round of promotion is the second of its kind under the current administration of Vice-Chancellor Professor Lawal Garba Shehu, MFR, within four months. A previous promotion exercise held on March 12, 2025, saw the council elevate nine staff members to the rank of professor and another ten to the rank of reader.
The wave of promotions reflects UDUS’s continued commitment to academic excellence and staff development, a trend that aligns with national rankings. According to Statist Sense, a data analytics platform, UDUS was ranked 11th in Nigeria for the highest number of professors as of 2022, with a total of 309 full professors at the time. While more recent statistics have not been published, the university’s sustained upward trajectory in academic staffing indicates its growing stature among Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The promotions are expected to bolster academic leadership across the faculties and strengthen research and innovation within the university.
