Al-Ansar University names Prof. Fanna Abdulrahman Acting Vice-Chancellor

By Mathew Denis

The Board of Trustees of Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, has appointed Professor Fanna Inna Abdulrahman as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

The decision, which followed the recommendation of the Governing Council, takes immediate effect and is consistent with the university’s governing law.

Before her new role, Professor Abdulrahman served as Head of the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and also held the position of Coordinator of Examinations and Time Table. She was most recently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Central Administration) at Kashim Ibrahim University, Maiduguri.

Born in Maiduguri on 5 March 1963, Professor Abdulrahman has longstanding ties to Borno State. She earned her B.Sc. in Chemistry (1987), M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry (1992), Master of Public Administration (1997), and Ph.D. in Organic/Medicinal Chemistry (2004), all from the University of Maiduguri.

Her academic career began at UNIMAID in 1988 as a Graduate Assistant, and she rose steadily through the ranks, becoming Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in 2011. Over the years, she has supervised more than 150 undergraduate projects, 35 master’s theses, and 15 doctoral dissertations. She is also widely published, with over 150 articles in respected national and international journals, and has participated in more than 25 global conferences.

Her contributions to academia extend into quality assurance, as she serves as Professorial Assessor and external examiner for several universities across Nigeria.

Beyond scholarship, Professor Abdulrahman is a Fellow of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (FCSN) and the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (FICCON), where she currently holds the office of President and Chairman of Council.

The Al-Ansar University community has received her appointment with enthusiasm, expressing confidence that her leadership will strengthen the institution’s pursuit of academic excellence, innovation, and moral development.