The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has appointed Aisha Maikudi as its seventh substantive vice-chancellor. The decision was announced by the university’s governing council, led by retired Air Vice-Marshal Saddiq Ismaila Kaita, following its 77th extraordinary meeting on December 31, 2024. Maikudi’s five-year, non-renewable tenure begins on January 1, 2025. She was selected as the best candidate among ten individuals shortlisted for the position and interviewed by the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board (JCSSB).
Before her appointment, Maikudi had been serving as UniAbuja’s acting vice-chancellor since July 5, 2024. Born on January 31, 1983, in Katsina, she is a professor of International Law and has been with the university since 2008. Maikudi’s educational journey began at Sacred Heart School in Kaduna, where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate in 1993. She continued her studies at Queens College in Lagos, earning her West African Senior School Certificate in 1999.
She holds an LLB from the University of Reading in the UK (2004) and an LLM in Public International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (2005). After completing her legal education at the Nigerian Law School (2006–2007), Maikudi earned a PhD in International Law from the University of Abuja in 2015.
Her academic career at UniAbuja began as a Lecturer II, and she rose to the rank of professor in 2021. Over the years, she has broken new ground as the first female head of the law department in 2013, the first female deputy dean of the law faculty in 2018, and the pioneer director of the University of Abuja International Centre in 2019.
She also served as the deputy vice-chancellor (academic) and introduced the “United Nations Law” course at the university in 2019. Maikudi has represented the university and Nigeria at numerous conferences, workshops, and training sessions worldwide, including in the UK, US, South Africa, Germany, Italy, China, Ghana, and Egypt. Her appointment follows a protracted selection process to fill the position of substantive vice-chancellor.
