The Muslim Lecturers Association (MLA) of Nigeria will host its 2nd National Research Conference in Kano State, with top scholars and public figures, including Prof. Attahiru Jega and Governor Babagana Zulum, to be honoured for their contributions to academia and national development.
The conference, organised in collaboration with Northwest University, Kano, is scheduled to hold from November 3 to 6, and will focus on the theme: “Leveraging Research and Collaboration for Sustainable Economic Diversification and Social Transformation.”
Announcing the event, MLA President Prof. Ahmed Adedeji said the gathering aims to bridge the critical gap between academic research and national policymaking, positioning scholarly insights as a catalyst for Nigeria’s development agenda.
“Our nation stands at a crossroads, grappling with the urgent need for economic diversification and social change,” Adedeji, a Professor of Pharmacology, said. “This conference is not merely an academic exercise; it is a platform for actionable intelligence. We are convening Nigeria’s brightest minds to generate evidence-based solutions that can directly inform and transform policy in key sectors—from agriculture and engineering to governance, law, and education.”
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The event will be chaired by former Deputy Governor of Kano State and MLA Fellowship Awardee, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, and will also celebrate academic excellence through the association’s Fellowship and Award of Excellence honours. Past recipients include Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede.
Prof. Adedeji added that the conference theme was deliberately aligned with Nigeria’s current policy priorities, addressing issues such as sustainable infrastructure, food security, clean energy, social protection, and the role of religious values in societal transformation.
He said the outcome of the conference would contribute to the country’s policy ecosystem by offering a “research-backed toolkit” for policymakers, government agencies, and development partners.
Also speaking, MLA Vice President and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, Prof. Khadijah Idowu, said the conference had been structured around critical clusters—Law, Engineering, Agriculture, Social and Management Sciences, Media and Communication, and the Humanities—to ensure targeted and impactful deliberations.
“Our goal is to produce a compendium of policy briefs that will be actively presented to relevant ministries, the National Assembly, and state governments,” Idowu stated. “We are engaging policy players not just as attendees but as partners in implementing our findings.”
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The four-day event is expected to draw academics, policymakers, and development practitioners from across Nigeria and beyond, reaffirming the MLA’s commitment to promoting research-driven solutions for national growth and social transformation.
