ABU Among 14 African Varsities Attending Japan-Africa Universities Exchange Meeting in Japan

Ahmadu Bello University is among 14 African universities currently participating in the 2026 Japan-Africa Universities Exchange Meeting (JAUM) holding in Japan.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, is representing the University at the meeting which began at the Kyoto International Conference Centre in Japan on Saturday, 3rd October, 2026.

The theme of this year's meeting is ‘Co-Creation of Knowledge for a Sustainable Future: Deepening Japan-Africa University Partnerships’.

The gathering aims to facilitate dialogue among university leaders and explore models of cooperative collaboration for future joint research.

It is also to discuss concrete directions for cooperation, thereby strengthening relations between Japanese and African universities.

The meeting is premised on the fact that challenges facing society such as climate change, energy, healthcare and food security are becoming increasingly complex.

It also considers that universities are expected not only to advance research as centres of knowledge creation, but also to cultivate the next generation of leaders and contribute to society.

It is further understood that collaboration among universities in Japan and Africa holds significant potential to address global challenges through co-creative partnerships and to contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society.

JAUM recognises that efforts toward international circulation of talent are essential, particularly in the participation of early-career researchers in international joint research, academic exchange and the establishment of long-term collaborative research frameworks.

A total of 14 universities from nine African countries joined 19 Japanese universities and three related organisations, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the World Bank Group at the meeting.

The African countries whose universities are attending the meeting are Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

The Vice-Chancellor is accompanied by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Raymond B. Bako and the Centre Leader, Africa Centre of Excellence on Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Prof. Y.K.E. Ibrahim.

Others on the Vice-Chancellor's entourage are Prof. Mohammed Nasiru Shuaibu and Prof. Emmanuel Balogun, both from the Department of Biochemistry.