Gambo Laraba Abdullahi

Laraba Gambo Abdullahi is a Nigerian chemist and administrator who was Vice-chancellor of the University of Abuja from 1999 to 2004. Abdullahi has held many political appointments during her career. She was recently the director of the National Board for Technology Incubation, a government tool to promote commercialization of research ideas generated by in Nigerian universities.

Abdullahi was born in Azare, Bauchi State, her father was a district officer in Katagum Native Authority. She started education early as a young Muslim girl in Azare, she studied at Provincial Girls' College, Bauchi, and in 1963, she proceeded to Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin where she completed her secondary education in 1969. In 1970, she was accepted to study biochemistry at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a year later, she married Umar Lawal when she was still an undergraduate. Abdullahi then completed her studies in 1974. In 1976, she joined University of Maiduguri as an assistant lecturer in chemistry.

In 1978, she traveled to U.K. to study analytical chemistry and earned her doctorate at the Loughborough University of Technology in 1984. Abdullahi returned to Nigeria and accepted the position of a lecturer at the University of Maiduguri. In 1985, after a few years of academic work, she was appointed state commissioner information, then education followed by commerce and industry.

After serving Bauchi state government for five years. Abdullahi returned to academia. In December 1990, she got an academic appointment at University of Abuja and between 1991 - 1998 she was director of the college's remedial and general studies program. Between 1998 and 1999, she served as the Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development.

In 1999, Abdullahi was appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja. During the course of her tenure, she improved relationship between the university administration and academic unions. She was committed to excellence and standards in procurement and promotion of academic and known academic staff.

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