The University of Abuja's Governing Council, led by Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Distinguished Senator Dr Olanrewaju Tejuoso, has given its approval for the appointment of new officials.

The appointments in question are those of Mal Alkasim Musa Umar as the substantive Registrar and Dr Rose Lade Mommoh as the substantive University Librarian.

These appointments are set to take effect from Friday, 10 July 2026, following their approval at the Council's 101st Regular Meeting, which took place on Friday, 10 and Saturday, 11 July 2026.

Both of the appointed officers will be serving a single term that spans five years. This is in line with the stipulations of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act and the regulations that govern the University.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, has extended his congratulations to the appointees. He describes their appointments as coming at a pivotal moment, as the University continues to work towards becoming a globally competitive institution.

Profile of the Appointees

Alkasim Musa Umar holds a BSc and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Maiduguri. He also possesses professional certifications from institutions such as the Digital Bridge Institute and Souters, UK.

• He began his career at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, serving as Liaison Officer in Abuja from 1999 to 2002.
• He then moved into Junior Establishment duties.
• Umar joined the University of Abuja's Registry, where he spent 17 years across several divisions.
• These divisions include the Academic Affairs Division, the Establishment Division, and the TETFund Desk Office.
• He also served as Faculty Officer for Education and Agriculture.

Prior to his appointment, he served for eight years as Deputy Registrar. Most recently, he headed the Institute of Education, University of Abuja, where he was responsible for all administrative and registry functions. This included credentials screening and secretariat support to the Institute's Management Board.

Umar has served on numerous University committees, including:

• The University Undergraduate Admissions Committee
• The Senate Committee on Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standard
• The University Portal Committee
• The Vice-Chancellor Handing-Over Committee

He has represented the University at various international events, including the International University Exhibition in Nairobi, the Wageningen Innovation Challenge in the Netherlands, and the International Association of Universities conference in Tokyo, all of which took place in 2024.

Umar is happily married with children.

The University Librarian

Rose Lade Mommoh holds a Bachelor of Library Science from the University of Maiduguri, a Master of Library Science from Bayero University, Kano, and a PhD in Information Science from the University of Maiduguri.

She joined the University of Abuja in 1999 as a Graduate Librarian. Over time, she rose through the ranks to become Deputy University Librarian/Associate Professor in 2020.

With over 25 years of experience in university librarianship, she has developed expertise in areas such as:

• Library administration
• Collection development
• Digital library services
• Research support
• Strategic information management

The new University Librarian has served in several key positions within the University Library. These include:

• Head of the Circulation Unit
• Collection Development and Readers' Services at the Engineering Library

Until her appointment, she served as Postgraduate Coordinator in the Department of Library and Information Science.

Dr Mommoh has published extensively in her field and presented scholarly papers at conferences both locally and internationally, including in China and Poland. She is a registered member of the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Library Association.

Congratulations to the new appointees.