By Felix Khanoba
The Governing Council of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has approved the appointment of Malam Alkasim Musa Umar as the substantive Registrar and Dr Rose Lade Mommoh as the substantive University Librarian.
The appointments were ratified at the Council’s 101st meeting held on July 9 and 10, 2026, and took effect from July 9, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the Acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr Habib Yakoob.
The statement said both officials would serve a single five-year term in line with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act and the university’s governing regulations.
Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, congratulated the newly appointed principal officers, expressing confidence in their ability to strengthen the university’s administration and library services.
“The wealth of experience that these two appointees bring will further strengthen our commitment to excellence in teaching, learning, research, innovation and community service,” Fawehinmi said.
He added, “Their appointments come at a critical time in our journey as we continue to reposition the University of Abuja as a globally competitive institution. I look forward to working closely with them as we realise the strategic vision of our great University and take the institution to even greater heights.”
Before his appointment, Umar served as Deputy Registrar and headed the Institute of Education, where he supervised administrative and registry operations, credentials screening and secretariat services for the institute’s management board.
A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Maiduguri, Umar also holds a master’s degree in the same discipline and professional certifications from the Digital Bridge Institute and Souters, United Kingdom.
He began his career at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, before joining the University of Abuja Registry, where he spent 17 years serving in several strategic units, including the Academic Affairs Division, Establishment Division and TETFund Desk Office. He also served as Faculty Officer for the Faculties of Education and Agriculture.
Throughout his career, Umar has served on several university committees, including the Undergraduate Admissions Committee, the Senate Committee on the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, the University Portal Committee and the Vice-Chancellor Handing-Over Committee.
He has also represented the university at international academic 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 held in 2024.
Similarly, the newly appointed University Librarian, Dr Mommoh, brings over 25 years of experience in university librarianship to her new role.
She joined the University of Abuja as a Graduate Librarian in 1999 and rose through the ranks to become Deputy University Librarian and Associate Professor in 2020.
Mommoh holds a Bachelor of Library Science from the University of Maiduguri, a Master of Library Science from Bayero University, Kano, and a doctorate in Information Science from the University of Maiduguri.
Over the years, she has held several leadership positions within the university library, including Head of the Circulation Unit, Collection Development and Readers’ Services at the Engineering Library. Before her appointment, she served as the Postgraduate Coordinator in the Department of Library and Information Science.
She has published extensively in library and information science and presented research papers at local and international conferences, including those held in China and Poland. She is also a registered member of the Librarians Registration Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Library Association.
