The Department of
Chemistry of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria was established as a degree awarding department in 1962 with Professor A.R. Mathieson as its pioneer Head. This followed the realisation of the need to produce well trained chemists as teachers, researchers or industrial professionals to meet the growing demands of the Nigerian population. At the inception, the degree programme was a combined honours in any of Chemistry-Physics; Chemistry-Biology; or Chemistry-Mathematics and had just two sets with the first and second set graduating in June 1965 and June 1966 respectively.
In 1964, the BSc. single honours Chemistry degree programme was introduced with the first set of graduates completing their studies in 1967, and this has continued to subsist till today. The department also gave birth to several other Departments and a Faculty within the university. These are Departments of Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering (formerly Industrial Chemistry), Textile Science & Technology and Pharmaceutical Sciences respectively. The Department started with a total staff strength of 26. Since then, this number has continued to increase significantly. At the moment, the Department has a crop of staff trained in various areas of Chemistry and this has been a huge asset to the university over the years. The technical and administrative sections are equally endowed with dedicated and committed staff.
To advance the frontiers of chemistry and break new grounds, through teaching, research and the dissemination of knowledge of the highest quality: to produce high-level human power and enhance capacity-building in order to meet the needs and challenges of Nigeria and the rest of the world.
The department shall be a world-class department comparable to any other engaged in imparting contemporary knowledge, using high quality facilities as well as generating new ideas and intellectual practices relevant to the needs of it immediate community, Nigeria and the world at large.
We are always set to make impact on the immediate and distant societies. We seek to impart knowledge to qualified candidates that will graduate and become available for use in National Development. Emphasis is placed in the execution of the programme to encourage self-reliance and entrepreneurship as equipment against possible unemployment on completion of programme. Here practical training is carried out at all levels of study including SIWES and final year individual student research projects.
The philosophy of the Chemistry Programme is that of the university. It recognizes the importance of chemistry in national development and in science and technology.