The Federal Government has appointed Professor Mathew Adamu as the new Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, now renamed Yakubu Gowon University.
His three-month tenure will begin on Monday, August 11, 2025, according to a statement released by the Acting Registrar and Secretary to Council, Roseline Adakayi. He takes over from Professor Patricia Manko Lar, who was appointed in February 2025 for a six-month acting term.
The statement commended Professor Lar for providing purposeful leadership and ensuring academic and administrative stability during her time in office. She was also credited with initiating the process for appointing a substantive Vice-Chancellor in collaboration with the university’s governing bodies. Adakayi noted that Professor Adamu is expected to work closely with the Governing Council, chaired by Senator Dr. Olanrewaju Tejuoso, to complete the recruitment process for a permanent Vice-Chancellor in line with statutory provisions.
Professor Adamu is a highly regarded veterinary scholar with over 27 years of professional experience in veterinary practice, research, teaching, and academic leadership.
He earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1998 and a Master’s in 2006 from the University of Maiduguri, before completing his PhD in Veterinary Surgery at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 2012. Recognised for his expertise in Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, he became a Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria and attained full professorship in 2019.
Throughout his career, he has served in various leadership roles, including Head of Department, Deputy Dean, Director of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University.
He has also acted as Vice-Chancellor of the institution on two occasions and participated in accreditation exercises for the National Universities Commission and the National Board for Technical Education. His work includes curriculum development for veterinary programmes and service as an external examiner in Nigerian and foreign universities.
Professor Adamu’s academic record includes more than 50 published research works in reputable journals and conference proceedings. He holds a South African patent for an “Anthelmintic Medicament” and won the Bronze Medal for Best PhD Thesis from the South African Association of Botanists in 2015.
His research collaborations have taken him to several countries, including the United States, Spain, South Africa, The Gambia, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire. The university community has expressed optimism that he will steer the institution effectively during this transitional period.
