Meet Our Visiting Scholars

Chika Umar Aliyu was born in Birnin Kebbi in 1966. He is a Professor in the Department of Economics, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. He obtained his PhD in Economics from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. He earned his M.Sc. Economics from International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1992 and B. Sc. Economics from University of Sokoto in 1988. Aliyu is a prolific writer with many articles published in local and international journals. His research interest is in Development Economics, History of Economic Thought and Islamic Economics. in addition to academic activities, is also a consultant who has requisite experience and also acquainted with both Nigerian and international Islamic Financial Markets. He undertook several consultancy services within and outside the country. Worked as consultant for IDB Jeddah to review and assess the works and contributions of some scholars for the award of IDB prize in 2013.

Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar OON, Engine Room of Non-Interest Banking And Finance In Nigeria He is currently the Deputy Chairman Financial Regulation Advisory Council of Experts on Islamic Banking of the Central Bank of Nigeria (FRACE-CBN) and a member of the Shari’ah Committee of the International Islamic Liquidity Management Corporation (IILM), and the Shari’ah Committee of International Shari’ah Research Academy for Islamic Finance (ISRA), all based in Malaysia. He has been involved in Islamic finance as Head of the Propagation sub‐committee of the Committee for the Promotion of the then proposed Ja’iz Bank Nigeria Limited, during which he delivered series of lectures on Islamic Banking and Finance in several parts of Nigeria. He served as the chairman of the Shari’ah Advisory Committee of the Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc (Nigeria), and as a Consultant on Islamic finance to the Financial System Strategy (FSS-2020) under the CBN, before finally taking up appointment as a Special Adviser to the Governor of the CBN on Non-interest Banking, which is his current job on secondment from the Bayero University, Kano. He represents the CBN in the Technical Committee of the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), and is also the Chairman of the IFSB Working Group for developing the standard on Risk Management for Takaful (Islamic Insurance) Undertakings. Dr Bashir was educated in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in Electrical Engineering. He then went to the Islamic University of Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and obtained his B.A, M.A and Phd. in Hadith and Islamic Studies with specialization in Sciences of Hadith. While lecturing in Bayero University Kano, he was invited to serve as Permanent Commissioner in the Kano State Shari’ah Commission. His work involved advising the Kano State Government on Shari’ah related issues in governmental affairs and supervising the Government’s Shari’ah implementation programme. His Phd thesis titled: “Methodology of Imam Ahmad Regarding the Inconspicuous Weaknesses of Hadith Narrations” has been published in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He has written and presented a number of papers in national and international conferences within and outside Africa. Dr. Bashir is one of the leading intellectual pundits with whom this country is blessed with. He is deeply and always revered in the field of Islamic knowledge and teaching.

Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen MAITURARE was born on the sixteenth day of June 1963, in Paiko, Paikoro Local Government Area, of Niger State, North-Central Nigeria. He had his post-primary education at Government College, Bida, where he got his West African School Certificate in 1980. He did IJMB at the School of Basic Studies, 1982. For further studies, he attended the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he was awarded B.Sc. Actuarial Science in 1985, M.B.A., in 1989, and Ph.D. in Business Administration in 2001. He started his career at Ministry of Finance, Akure, Ondo State, under the National Youth Service Scheme between 1985 and 1986. He worked as a lecturer at Federal Polytechnic, Bida, from 1986 to 1987. He joined the service of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1987. Over the years he has taught several courses at undergraduate, Masters, and Ph.D. levels. He has also successfully supervised many ground breaking undergraduate, Masters, and Ph.D. dissertations/theses. He worked briefly at the National Pension Commission during his Sabbatical leave between January and December 2013. He has made several contributions to his local government, state, and the nation. He is a Member, Technical Committee on the CBN Collaborative Postgraduate Programmes in Accounting, Banking & Finance and Economics, (2007 to date); Member, Economic and Social Advisory Council of Niger State (ESACON) (2008 to date); Member, Implementation Committee on the Integration of Non-Formal/Moral Education with Western Education School System in Niger state (2010 to date)

Prof. Ibrahim Abikan ABDULQADIR is a Professor in the Department of Islamic Law at the University of Ilorin. He has legal practice, teaching, research, and consulting experience in the areas of Law of Corporate Management, Islamic Banking, Finance, Commercial Transactions, Islamic Business Ethics, and Islamic Investments spanning over two decades. He has taught in all educational strata in Nigeria and abroad including teaching at IIUM and University Brunei Darussalam. He has supervised and examined several Masters and PhD theses and assessed several Professorial candidates. He has served as Head of Department, Dean of Faculty, Director of School, and President of Professional Associations, including the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers. He has presented research articles at several national and international conferences in the USA, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and participated in several local and international capacity-building training workshops. He has over fifty publications to his credit in academic journals and books.

Ahmad Bello Dogarawa is a Professor at the Department of Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Nigeria. He obtained a Bachelor in Business Administration, Masters in Banking & Finance, Master of Science and Doctorate in Accounting & Finance. In addition to the academic degrees he obtained, he holds a Certificate in Islamic Religious Sciences, Da’awah and Islamic Economics from Al-Azhar University, Cairo. He was a former Head of Department of Accounting and Deputy Dean of ABU Business School. He is a founding member of League of Scholars, Imams and Preachers in the Sahel. Dogarawa has published more than 50 articles in refereed academic journals (local and international), presented over 100 papers at local and international conferences/symposia, and supervised to completion 27 M.Sc. dissertations and 18 PhD theses. He has authored six Islamic books and is the lead author of "Introduction to Islamic Finance" book. He has travelled throughout Nigeria and some countries to present papers, give sensitisation lectures and conduct workshops on various topical issues that include various aspects of Islamic banking and finance; Islamic epistemology and integration of knowledge; institutions of Zakah and Waqf; Islamic perspective of economic empowerment, investment and poverty eradication; and Maqaasid Ash-Shari’ah. He has also participated in the training of members of various religious and social groups in Nigeria and beyond.

Dr Abdullahi Saliu Ishola, LLB (Shariah and Common Law), LLM (Islamic Law), PhD (Law with specialisation in Waqf); PDE, BL, CSAA, CiSSA, FIFPHe graduated as the best Student from the Department of Islamic Law, Faculty of Law University of Ilorin in 2005 and won the Senate Award for same. A Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (called to Bar in 2007).Certified Shariah Advisor and Auditor (CSAA) of the AAOIFI, BahrainCertified Islamic Specialist in Sharī'ah Auditing (CISSA), of CIBAFI Bahrain.Fellow, Institute of Islamic Finance Professionals in Nigeria (FIFP).First Nigerian Lawyer with PhD in Waqf Law.Expert and Consultant in Islamic Social Finance Law and Justice with advanced professional Proficiency, Mastery and Competence in Waqf, Zakāh, Mīrāth (Islamic Inheritance); Wasiyah (Islamic Will Writing and Execution); Hibbah (Gift); Islamic Estate Planning and Business Succession and Sustainability; Islamic Coopertaive practices; among others.Post Doctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Islamic Finance and Economics (IKAM), Istanbul University, Turkey (2022-2023).Formerly, HOD, Islamic Law Department, Faculty of Law, Kwara State University Malete-Nigeria (KWASU) and currently a Senior Lecturer in Department.He is a seasoned Advocate and Solicitor with appearances in all levels of courts in Nigeria.

Nabil Bello is an accomplished Islamic finance professional with 17 years of experience, specializing in Shariah Audit and Compliance. Throughout his illustrious career, Nabil has held key positions in renowned institutions. Currently, he serves as Shariah Audit Officer at Jaiz Bank PLC, Abuja, Nigeria, where he oversees critical functions such as coordinating ACE meetings, training programs, and Shariah audit exercises. Previously, he was Head of Private Institutions Banking at Jaiz Bank PLC and Internal Shariah Auditor at NIRSAL Microfinance Bank. In addition to his industry experience, Nabil has a strong academic foundation. He lectured at Bayero University Kano, Nigeria, teaching courses on Islamic Capital Markets, Islamic Business Ethics, and Governance of Islamic Financial Institutions. Nabil's educational qualifications include a Postgraduate Diploma in Islamic Studies and Shariah from Bayero University Kano, a Ph.D. in Islamic Banking and Finance from International Islamic University Malaysia, and various professional certifications such as Certified Shariah Adviser and Auditor (CSAA). His expertise encompasses Shariah audit, classical Shariah knowledge, business analysis, data analysis, training skills, teamwork, strategic thinking, and project management. He is proficient in Microsoft Power Platform Tools, Advanced Excel, and Data Analysis using Power BI and SPSS. Nabil has authored several publications in reputable journals and received awards, including the Nigeria Islamic Finance Leadership Award.