About the Department

The seed of the Department of Computer Science was originally sown in 1990 by Prof. Muhammad Yahuza Bello, the then Head of Mathematics Department. Prof. Bello proposed that the name of the Department be changed to “Department of Mathematical Sciences”. This, he argued “….. will allow the Department to expand and introduce more degree programs such as BSc Statistics, BSc Operational research, BSc Computer Science, BSc. Actuarial Science, etc., and eventually split into different Departments…. ”. The Senate of the University approved the proposal and the name of the Department of Mathematics was thus changed to “Department of Mathematical Sciences.” In 1997, a committee of 3 academics was set up by the Department of Mathematical Sciences to prepare an academic brief to be submitted to the University Academic Development Committee (ADC) for approval to commence BSc Statistics and BSc Computer Science. The committee under the leadership of Prof. Muhd Rujbani (with Dr. Aliyu Ibrahim Kiri and Dr. A. B. Baffa as members) submitted their report which recommended among others that: “A diploma program in Computer Science will be commenced by the next academic session to prepare the ground for introducing a Bachelor degree program in Computer Science ...” and that “… the Universities strategic plan should incorporate this …” They also drew an action plan for the smooth take off of the programs. In 1998 the Diploma in Computer Science program was started. Over 800 prospective students applied for the program. 125 were offered admission and by the year 2000, 105 have graduated with Diploma in Computer Science. The quality of the training they received, together with the zeal expressed by the seed-students became an additional impetus to pursue the introduction of a Computer Science degree program. The societal demand for the program was becoming irresistible. The duo of Dr. A. I. Kiri and Dr. A. B. Baffa worked on the ¦nal proposal of the Computer Science degree program which was approved by the Department and the ADC in 2000. The ¦rst set of Computer Science degree students was admitted in 2001 and the program has, since then, continued to gain popularity and patronage. It has been growing from strength to strength. After 10 years of nurturing the CS program in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, and given the fact that the program has grown to the point of introduction of higher degrees and considering the need to expand it and introduce even more related degree programs, the CS unit under the leadership of Prof. MY Bello submitted a proposal for the creation of the Department of Computer Science. This was approved in 2011 and the new Department was temporarily accommodated in the Centre for Information Technology (CIT) building. It was eventually moved to a new building, which was constructed and donated by Gen T Y Danjuma to house not only the new Department of Computer Science, but also the proposed Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology. As of 2021, the department has 3 full-time Professors, 1 Associate Professor, 3 Senior Lecturers, 20 Lecturer-I, 18 Lecturer-II and 7 Assistant Lecturers. We have graduated over 2000 undergraduate degrees and over 200 Masters Degrees and numerous postgraduate diplomas.