SPECIAL INVESTIGATION — EDITION 2
By Alfijir Labarai
In our first investigation into the university system established by Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, we examined the potential contribution of his universities to the future of education in Nigeria.
In this second edition, we focus on one of the major institutions within the group:
Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano.
MAAUN Kano currently lists 22 undergraduate programmes, covering areas including Computer Science, Cyber Security, Software Engineering, Data Science, Medicine, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health, Law, Accounting, Economics and Mass Communication.
But the question for Alfijir Labarai goes beyond the number of programmes.
What can these programmes actually add to Nigeria in terms of skills, research, innovation and employment?
1. EXPANDING ACCESS TO UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
On June 10, 2026, MAAUN Kano matriculated 1,056 newly admitted students for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The university also stated that its total student population had risen to more than 5,000, with female students accounting for about 80 per cent of the population.
This indicates that the institution is continuing to expand access to higher education.
However, student enrolment alone is not enough to establish educational impact.
The more important questions are:
How many students will successfully graduate?
What skills will they acquire?
How many will secure employment?
How many will create businesses and jobs?
And how relevant will their qualifications be to Nigeria’s labour market?
These are the issues that deserve continued investigation.
2. TECHNOLOGY, COMPUTING AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
MAAUN offers programmes in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Software Engineering and Data Science.
These fields are increasingly important as technology and Artificial Intelligence reshape education, business, government and the global economy.
On May 11, 2026, MAAUN signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Fortress Global AI Resources covering AI development, educational research, capacity building and technological infrastructure.
The partnership raises an important question:
Will such collaborations produce practical technologies and solutions to Nigerian problems, or will they remain primarily at the level of agreements and training?
The answer will depend on what is eventually produced.
3. RESEARCH: PARTNERSHIP WITH BUK
On May 21, 2026, MAAUN and Bayero University Kano (BUK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding covering faculty and student exchanges, joint research, conferences, academic publications and scholarship opportunities.
Such cooperation could create opportunities for public and private universities to combine their academic expertise and research capacity.
But an investigative report must go beyond the signing ceremony.
The questions are:
What research has been initiated under the agreement?
Which problems facing Nigeria are the researchers addressing?
Have any practical solutions, publications, technologies or policy recommendations emerged from the collaboration?
These are the results that will ultimately determine its impact.
4. PARTNERSHIP WITH FUST KABO
On July 20, 2026, MAAUN and Federal University of Science and Technology, Kabo (FUST Kabo) signed an MoU covering exchanges involving academic staff, researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as joint research and academic programmes.
The agreement also covers conferences, webinars, scientific publications, books and other scholarly activities.
For Northern Nigeria, such cooperation could strengthen links between institutions and create opportunities for shared expertise and research.
But again, the key question remains:
What measurable results will come from the partnership?
5. IAHERI: RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Another important component is the Institute of African Higher Education Research and Innovation (IAHERI), a subsidiary of MAAUN.
IAHERI identifies its focus areas as research, scientific and technological innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership development, job creation and capacity building.
Its Innovation Hub is designed to support early-stage startups, innovative projects, entrepreneurs and researchers through mentorship, resources and other forms of support.
The institute also operates research journals covering areas such as computing, health sciences, nursing, social and management sciences, education and humanities.
This creates another important area for investigation:
Can university research be transformed into new products, businesses, jobs and practical solutions to problems facing Nigerian society?
That is where the real test of innovation lies.
6. STUDENT PROJECTS AND PRACTICAL SKILLS
There are also signs of an effort to connect academic learning with practical work.
In June 2026, MAAUN’s School of Computing organised a Final Year Students’ Project Exhibition and Award-Giving Ceremony, where students showcased technological solutions they had developed.
Such initiatives are important because the Nigerian economy needs graduates who can do more than obtain academic qualifications.
It needs graduates who can develop software, conduct research, solve technical problems, create businesses and respond to real-world challenges.
The next question, therefore, is:
How many of these student projects eventually become usable products, businesses or solutions beyond the university environment?
7. SUPPORT FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING STUDENTS
At MAAUN Kano’s maiden convocation ceremony in December 2025, the university announced fully funded foreign scholarships for 43 graduates who achieved First-Class honours, allowing them to pursue Master’s degrees abroad.
Such support can give high-performing graduates an opportunity to further develop their academic and professional expertise.
But there is another question:
After gaining advanced qualifications abroad, how many of these graduates will return to Nigeria?
And:
What contribution will they eventually make to Nigerian universities, hospitals, businesses, research institutions and the wider economy?
The long-term answer to these questions will help determine the wider impact of the scholarship programme.
8. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS
MAAUN said in June 2026 that it had signed more than 70 Memoranda of Understanding with universities and organisations in 31 countries. The partnerships cover areas including research, innovation, workforce development and international academic cooperation.
The university has also continued to announce additional international academic partnerships.
However, the number of MoUs should not be treated as a measure of impact by itself.
What matters is implementation.
How many agreements have resulted in student exchanges?
How many have produced joint research?
How many have created scholarships or training opportunities?
How many have resulted in new technologies or academic programmes?
And, most importantly:
What tangible benefits have Nigerian students and researchers received?
These are the questions that deserve continued scrutiny.
9. HEALTHCARE AND ONCOLOGY TRAINING
Healthcare is another area where MAAUN is seeking to connect education with practical professional training.
In February 2026, MAAUN and the Kano Cancer Treatment Centre strengthened their collaboration to expand oncology training and cancer-care capacity in Northern Nigeria.
The initiative includes structured oncology training for MAAUN nursing graduates and practising nurses in the region.
This is significant because specialised healthcare training remains an important need.
But once again, the impact must be measured through results:
How many healthcare professionals are being trained?
What specialised skills are they acquiring?
And is the programme contributing to improved cancer-care capacity in Northern Nigeria?
10. FROM A DEGREE TO EMPLOYABLE SKILLS
MAAUN says its academic programmes are designed to include real-world working experience and career prospects.
That objective is particularly relevant to Nigeria, where young people need education that connects academic qualifications with practical employability.
Therefore, another part of our investigation will focus on the graduates themselves:
Do they secure employment?
What sectors do they enter?
How many establish businesses?
How many become employers?
Which academic fields provide the strongest opportunities?
And how well do the skills acquired at university match the demands of the labour market?
CONCLUSION
MAAUN Kano has expanded beyond classroom teaching into research, technology, Artificial Intelligence, student innovation, professional training, university partnerships and international academic cooperation.
But from an investigative perspective, programmes, announcements and signed MoUs do not by themselves prove impact.
The real test is what follows:
What has actually been produced?
What has been developed?
Which research has resulted in practical solutions?
How many people have been trained?
How many graduates have secured meaningful employment?
And what contribution are MAAUN graduates making to Nigeria?
These are the measures that can help determine the institution’s actual contribution to Nigeria’s education and human-capital development.
The investigation does not end here.
Alfijir Labarai will continue to examine Prof. Gwarzo’s universities one by one, looking beyond institutional claims to the evidence of what they are actually producing and the impact they are making on society.
📢 KU BI ALFIJIR LABARAI
Ku kasance tare da Alfijir Labarai / Alfijir News domin samun sahihan labarai, rahotanni, bincike da muhimman bayanai daga Kano, Najeriya da duniya.
📩 TUNTUƁA DA HAƊIN GWIWA
Kira/WhatsApp: +234 803 207 7835
🌐 KAFAFEFENMU
X: https://twitter.com/Musabestseller?s=09
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089640289165
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@alfijirlabarai
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestsellerChannel12
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musa_bestseller?utm_source=qr&r=nametag
📲 WhatsApp Group:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Ilj1iz8v3sa3nBfrCz9U6f
ALFIJIR LABARAI MEDIA SERVICES
Gaskiya • Kan Lokaci • Amintacce
© 2026 Alfijir Labarai Media Services