Brief History

The Department of Microbiology was established in 1969 with the initial objectives of training our medical students to acquire basic knowledge of Medical Microbiology. In addition, the department was given the assignment of performing routine microbiological diagnostic services for the teaching hospital. These tasks were shared by the University and the World Health Organization (WHO) who supplied the founding staff then.

The need to train young Nigerians to acquire knowledge in other areas of Microbiology in order to serve in various sectors of the economy necessitated the introduction of B.Sc. Honours Degree programme in Microbiology and a Combined Honours in Microbiology/Biochemistry programme in 1971. These new programmes were based in the Faculty of Science with only few offices acquired from the department of Biological Sciences. The task then was to teach not Medical Microbiology to medical students alone, but also B.Sc. Honours Microbiology and combined honours Microbiology/Biochemistry and offer service courses to Civil Engineering students, Pharmacy students and Home Economics students. One head of department coordinated all the activities of the department with a medically qualified senior academic staff posted to the hospital to take charge of diagnostic services.

Because of the high peculiar nature and popular demand for microbiology, the university decided to construct a new building to accommodate the B.Sc. Honours programme and a new department of Medical Microbiology was created with its base at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital in Tudun Wada, Zaria (now moved to Shika, Zaria).

The student population grew rapidly from five in 1971 to the present over 600 students, and offering service courses to Home Economics (in Faculty of Education) and Nursing students, Anatomy students ( in the Faculty of Medicine) as well as various other students in Faculty of Science (Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry etc).

Since its inception the department has produced over 1,000 undergraduates, 24 Postgraduate Diploma in Microbiology, 85 M. Sc. holders, and 25 Ph.D. holders. Currently the department has total staff strength of 39 comprising of 19 academic, 16 technical and administrative and 4 junior staff

Mission

To produce highly motivated high-quality graduates of Microbiology who are much needed and in high demand in a developing economy. Graduates that are innovative, creative and able to seek self-employment in a fiercely competitive world of work and in an increasingly sophisticated international arena.

To service effectively various non-microbiology degree and non-degree programmes requiring the science of Microbiology to be taught as an integral part of the degree or non-degree programmes.

To produce well-trained microbiologist to be able to engage in collaborative cutting – edge research within and outside the country as a means of promoting excellence and maintaining leadership. To produce graduates empowered in each of the existing areas of the science of Microbiology namely:

(i) Medical (ii) Industrial (iii) Food and (iv) Environmental Microbiology such that they become fully fledged to produce revenue generating consultancy services.
1.To deliver high quality teaching of the subject Medical Microbiology to medical and other students.
2.To produce effective and competent professional academic and technical staff in specialized areas of Medical Microbiology.
3.To engage in meaningful research that will impact on treatment of patients and contribute to the wealth of knowledge in Medical Microbiology
4.To train and prepare resident doctors for the fellowship of the West African College and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
5.To deliver high standard diagnostic services for the Management of Patients with optimum turn-around time.
6.To provide effective consultancy services and collaborate in the monitoring and management of patients.

Philosophy

To study microorganisms in all ramifications, relate findings to general scientific knowledge, agriculture, health, engineering, industry and general social well being of mankind. To produce graduates who are highly skilled with modern technology to fit into the manpower need of the Nation where Microbiology is greatly required. To produce highly competent graduates who can be self-reliant in a competitive economy nationally and internationally

Academic Programmes

Staff List