The University of Abuja has appointed Professor Aisha Sani Maikudi as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution. This decision was made public during a special Senate meeting held at the university campus in Abuja on Wednesday. Professor Maikudi, aged 41, has been a distinguished figure in the field of International Law and previously served as the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, before assuming this new role.
The outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, who is concluding his tenure in three days, clarified that Maikudi’s appointment is provisional, pending final approval by the Governing Council.
In her address following the announcement, Professor Maikudi expressed her appreciation to the Senate for their trust and support. “I extend my deepest respect and gratitude to all of you for the strong support and unwavering commitment you have shown towards me,” she remarked.
Born on January 31, 1983, Maikudi holds the distinction of being the youngest female Professor of Law in Northwestern Nigeria and at UniAbuja. Her educational journey started at Queens College, Lagos State, where she obtained her West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). She pursued higher education at the University of Reading, graduating with an LLB in 2004 and an LLM from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2005. Her academic achievements culminated in a PhD in International Law from UniAbuja in 2015.
Joining the University of Abuja as a Lecturer II on September 4, 2008, Maikudi steadily advanced through the ranks, achieving the status of professor in 2022. She notably became the first female Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Law in 2018 and subsequently served as the inaugural director of the UniAbuja International Centre in 2019.
Professor Maikudi’s academic contributions extend beyond Nigeria, with her participation in numerous national and international conferences across the United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Germany, Italy, and Egypt, among others. Her research predominantly focuses on United Nations Law, and she has authored several publications in this field.
She is affiliated with several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Nigerian Law Teachers Association (NLTA), and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), underscoring her commitment to legal scholarship and advocacy.