The Department has been famous for the publication of a number of materials which reflect the extent of research activities by the staff and students of the Department. The first of these are the Occasional Paper Series (ISSN: 0065 - 4698) in which we report major research findings by the Department. The second one is Zaria Geographer (ISSN 0795 - 7599) which is a Journal of the Geographical Society of Ahmadu Bello University. Both publications have gained tremendous international and national reputation. The SAVANNA, a Journal of the Social and Environmental Sciences is a highly reputable journal founded in the Department, the maiden edition of which appeared in 1971.
A University Department of Geography has a dual function, teaching and research. The research interests of staff are usually reflected in different ways in the teaching programme. Students have opportunities to contribute to research in the Department, especially in the Research Essays undertaken by Single Honors students at 400 level. The present and past research endeavours of the Department are contained in the series of Occasional Papers published by the Department, the first one in 1965 and the latest one (No.11) in 2006.