ABU@63: It Remains Most Cosmopolitan University In Nigeria – VC

By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria is unique in several ways as it remains the most cosmopolitan university in Nigeria through to its founding ideal that reflects national diversity and unity.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Ahmed Adamu stated this while addressing journalists on the occasions of the university’s 63rd anniversary held at the VC’s conference hall.

He said, ABU hosts more than 600 Professors which is the largest number of any Nigerian university and also hosts more than 100 international collaborations and partnerships.

According to him, ABU is being called the “University of Universities” having midwifed nearly every tertiary institution in Northern Nigeria, with more than 600,000alumni across the world.

Professor Adamu said ABU received the JAMBaward for best university in 2025 for internationalization and diversity.

“Also ABU is one of the three universities in Nigeria that made QS ranking in 2025 while in the last decade, the university secured three World Bank Centres of Excellence with grants worth over 15 million dollars which is the highest number and in value of any Nigerian university.

In 2025, the university also secured a five million Euro Horizon grant for the multipex AI project intended for the development of an Artificial Intelligence powered microscope to drastically improve the diagnosis of neglected parasitic diseases.

The Vice Chancellor said, their students have won several national and international ICT awards, including global Huawei competitions, demonstrating ingenuity, creativity, and competitiveness at the global stage.

Speaking on the challenges of the University, Professor Ahmed Adamu said that their major challenges is funding constraints, which continue to affect their operations and loss of talented staff to better opportunities within and outside Nigeria.

The Vice Chancellor decried the aging infrastructure which demand urgent renewal, as well as poor remuneration, which he said, has dampened staff motivation.