Nigeria-Gambia Relations Strengthen as Nigerian Professors Set to Lead Gambian University

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• Four Nigerian Professors have been appointed to key administrative positions at The Gambia’s University of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology (USET), strengthening Nigeria-Gambia relations.
• The appointments, following the upcoming conclusion of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Samuel Owusu-Ofori’s term, include Prof. Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde as Vice-Chancellor and Prof. Ado Yusuf Abdulfatah as Vice-Chancellor (Academics).
• These positions are part of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps scheme, which has provided The Gambia with over 12,000 Nigerian volunteers since 1987, enhancing educational and technical cooperation.

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Nigeria-Gambia Relations Strengthen as Nigerian Professors Set to Lead Gambian University

The partnership between Nigeria and The Gambia has reached a new milestone as four Nigerian Professors, all with engineering backgrounds, have been selected for key administrative positions at the University of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology (USET) in The Gambia.

This follows the submission of a report by a Taskforce set up by the Gambian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science, and Technology and the Governing Council of USET.

The Ministry has requested formal endorsement of the selected Professors by Nigerians, as conveyed in a letter addressed to the Nigerian Mission in Kanifing and copied to the Director-General of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC), Rt. Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub. The letter was received in Abuja on Friday.

The Professors were chosen after a meticulous selection process, following the approaching end of tenure of USET’s current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Owusu-Ofori, whose term concludes on September 30, 2024.

The selected Professors and their respective positions are:

• Vice-Chancellor: Nazmat Surajudeen-Bakinde
• Vice-Chancellor (Academics): Prof. Ado Yusuf Abdulfatah
• Director, Research and Grants: Prof. Akinlabi Oyetunji
• Director, Academic Planning and Quality Assurance: Prof. David Terfa Gundu

These appointments reflect the ongoing technical assistance provided by NTAC, which deployed these Volunteer Professors as part of Nigeria’s 24-month Technical Aid Corps scheme.

The initiative aims to strengthen The Gambia’s educational system through the exchange of knowledge and expertise.

This collaboration underscores the longstanding ties between Nigeria and The Gambia, particularly in the areas of education and technical cooperation.

The Gambia has been a major beneficiary of Nigeria’s Technical Aid Corps scheme, receiving over 12,000 Nigerian volunteers, including engineers, lawyers, and medical professionals, since the program’s inception in 1987.