Governor Sani Appoints Former ATBU VC Prof. Sambo Education Commissioner
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has appointed Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, a renowned academic and former Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), as the new Commissioner for Education.
The announcement was made as part of a cabinet reshuffle aimed at enhancing governance and service delivery across the state.
Professor Sambo, a distinguished mechanical engineer and respected technocrat, brings decades of experience in academia, administration, and public service to the role.
He is expected to lead strategic reforms in the state’s education sector with a focus on improving access, infrastructure, quality, and security in schools.
The appointment was confirmed in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibraheem Musa.
According to the statement, Governor Sani has expressed full confidence in Professor Sambo’s capacity to drive forward the state’s educational transformation agenda.
“Professor Sambo is a seasoned administrator with an impeccable track record in the education and energy sectors.
His appointment is part of our commitment to reposition education in Kaduna State to meet global standards,” the statement read.
Born in Zaria, Professor Sambo obtained a first-class degree in mechanical engineering from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and went on to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom.
He served as Vice Chancellor of ATBU Bauchi from 1995 to 2004 and later as Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria between 2005 and 2012.
In his new role, Professor Sambo is expected to prioritize several key areas including expanding access to education, upgrading learning infrastructure, integrating ICT in schools, improving teacher training, and promoting girl-child education. Enhancing the security of schools amid rising concerns over student safety is also high on his agenda.
The reshuffle also saw the redeployment of the former Commissioner for Education, Sani Bello, who now heads the newly established Ministry of Information. Additionally, Barrister Gloria Ibrahim has been appointed as the Commissioner for Youth Development.
Reactions to Professor Sambo’s appointment have been largely positive, with education stakeholders and civil society groups expressing optimism that his leadership will reinvigorate the state’s education system.
As he assumes office, Professor Sambo is expected to build on the administration’s ongoing education reforms and introduce new strategies to boost learning outcomes and reduce dropout rates in both urban and rural areas.
The appointments take immediate effect.
